


Sheik's Time

by Ladylibrary42



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Coming of Age, Gen, Gerudo Culture, Hurt/Comfort, Loyalty, Male Sheik (Legend of Zelda), OC sheik, Shadow Temple, Sheikah Culture, Teen Angst, Undercover, cross game lore, the lost seven years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:06:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 101
Words: 117,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28537812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ladylibrary42/pseuds/Ladylibrary42
Summary: With Link gone and Ganondorf ruling Hyrule, Princess Zelda and her bodyguard Impa flee Hyrule. However, as Ganondorf's power grows, there is soon no place for Zelda and the Triforce of Wisdom to hide. With a little divine help, Zelda undergoes a transformation and a new being is created. Sheik has no idea who lives inside him, his only concern is to protect Hyrule until the Hero of Time can return.This is my telling of what happened to Zelda (and Sheik) during Link's years in the Temple.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	1. The Escape

**Author's Note:**

> PART ONE

Lightning flashed and Zelda flinched as Impa steadied her once more on the horse’s neck. Zelda sat numb to the cold rain, the terrible memories swirling in her mind.  _ Father is dead. _ The thought struck like the lighting, undeniable and burning.

Zelda clutched the small blue instrument to her chest. She had feared . . . no she had known this would happen, but it still felt unreal. She had tried to prevent it. She had found the fairy boy, and they'd had a plan! It’d seemed so perfect, she and Link would use the Ocarina of Time to borrow the Triforce’s sacred power to prevent Ganondorf’s invasion. 

But Desert King Ganondorf had been too quick and Zelda could only hope she’d find a way to get the Ocarina to Link. If he had managed to find all the spiritual stones, he could use the Ocarina of Time to get into the temple. Then maybe . . . 

The horse tore through the streets of Castle Town and Zelda looked up as they crossed the drawbridge to Hyrule Field. Her eyes focused on a small green form and their eyes met.

“Link . . . ”

There wasn’t time to stop, Ganondorf was on their heels. Zelda sat up, pushing back Impa’s protective body and threw the Ocarina as far as she could. She barely had time to glance back and make sure it had landed safely in the castle’s moat before Impa’s white war horse picked up speed in the open plain of Hyrule Field.

Link had seen; he would recover the sacred instrument. Maybe they could finish their plan after all. Even as hope began to bubble up inside her, the sight of her father's body pierced by Ganondorf's treacherous blade flashed in her mind, grief and pain replacing hope once more. Nothing Link did could bring her father back. 

If only the king had listened to her; she had known Ganondorf's pledges of loyalty were lies. But no one would listen to the nine year old princess's stories of dreams and prophecies. No one but Impa.

The Sheikah woman shifted in the saddle, nudging the horse in a new direction. Zelda glanced up at her bodyguard’s impressive form. The tall muscular woman’s eyes were fixed on their route and Zelda caught a glimpse of her own haunted face in her breastplate. 

Impa had saved her, snatched her away from under Ganondorf's nose. When Zelda saw Ganondorf’s betrayal, she would have run to her dying father and been slaughtered as well if Impa had not whisked her away. Ganondorf would not stop hunting her, after all she had taken the Ocarina and the Desert King had asked questions about it and she didn't doubt he knew its power as well.

Still, Link was the Hero of Time and he  _ would  _ defeat Ganondorf in the end, Zelda knew it in her heart of hearts. But as the thunder clapped above, she couldn't help but wonder who else would die before that came to pass. After all, Link was also a child. She knew he had bravery unmatched, but in the face of that man . . . Zelda shuddered as cold rain and fear slid down her spine as the horse carried them deeper into the night.

Zelda didn't remember falling asleep, but she woke up in a bed; warm and dry. She sat up, looking around the small cave. Although she could hear the quiet chirp of crickets from outside, a bright fire lit up her surroundings. The cave walls were sparsely decorated with tapestries depicting red eyed warriors and sages. She blinked at an embroidery of the Sheikah eye and Zelda realized this must be one of Impa's hideouts.

As soon as her feet touched the floor, Impa appeared as if from thin air. She looked over Zelda, checking for injury or unsteadiness. "Your Highness, are you alright?"

"All things considered, I am alright Impa. Thank you."

Impa's face was neutral as she studied Zelda. "What were you thinking throwing the Ocarina of Time into the moat?" Her voice had no accusatory or angry inflection. It was a question, not a reprimand. Without Impa's trust in her prophecies, Zelda would have gone mad years ago. 

"The Hero of Time will find it before the Desert King. He wouldn't have been back at the castle if he didn't have the sacred stones. I told him to enter the Temple of Time. His destiny awaits him there. Link will find it . . . " Zelda’s sure voice cracked and she fought against the lump forming in her throat. 

Impa knelt and took her hand, "Princess. I will keep you safe until the Hero fulfills his destiny. I have met the boy and he does indeed contain a fighting spirit. I do not doubt he has succeeded in your task. But you have suffered a great loss and must rest."

Zelda nodded, slowly laying back down. She could already feel the black cloud of despair envelop her. All her doubts and insecurities bubbled up. Would Link be able to find what was in the temple?

She had seen it in her dreams, seen Link entering a wide white room and stepping into a pillar of light at the center of it. Then he had become the breaking dawn, banishing the darkness that always represented Ganondorf in her dreams. But could the goddesses' power be worked through such a young boy?

When Link had first found her in the palace, sneaking past a dozen guards to speak to her, she had felt they could do anything together. Finally a piece of her visions physically appeared, proving wrong the countless courtiers who had called her mad. Then Link and her had concocted a plan together. 

The plan . . . there was something she needed to remember about the plan. Something she had had to do. But she couldn't remember, the pain and exhaustion of the day were catching up to her again and she felt her knees buckle falling into Impa’s steady arms, vision going dark.

Zelda always knew when she was dreaming.The stillness of the air never felt right in dreams, so different from her waking hours. The Temple of Time stood tall and majestic above her in this vision. Even though the rain fell soundlessly against the white marble steps, Zelda could hear the patter of Link's boots. She spun around and saw him climbing the steps to the courtyard. 

He had a reddish bruise on the side of his face, and an expression so grim it was almost comical on his young face. Navi the fairy flitted around his head nervously before taking shelter in his long green cap. Link slipped on a puddle and his little sword—a dagger really—slipped from his left hand. It skittered across the wet stone almost to Zelda's feet.

Link got up and wiped away some mud. Zelda thought she saw more than rain running down his face, but he moved determinedly forward. Retrieving his weapon, Link entered the temple. 

The soaring stained glass gave the interior an ethereal glow even on the dark stormy night. Link stepped reverently up to the velvet lined table and Zelda watched him place three objects on it one by one. Green—the Kokiri Emerald he had carried even before Zelda met him matched his forest tunic. Red—the Goron's Ruby glimmered as if it trapped a flame. Blue—The Zora's Sapphire sparkled like the river. Without these stones, the door to the Sacred Realm could not be opened.

_ He had done it. _ Link stepped back—right onto the Triforce engraving on the floor.

Zelda's hands flew to her lips as she felt herself smile, Link had the Ocarina! Slowly he moved his fingers into position and began to play. The notes rose and fell seeming to take both an eternity and an instant. A soft rumble rose as the tune ended. The wall behind the stone pedestal shook and lowered itself into the floor revealing the white room of Zelda's visions.

Link rushed towards it, but stopped suddenly upon entering. Even as Zelda anxiously looked inwards, she too knew this must not be rushed. There was a reverence in this place, focused on a pedestal with a large sword rising from it which dominated the center of the room.

The sword seemed almost alive as it stood proudly even in its dormant state. Link stepped up to it—barely taller than the sword himself. He had to step onto the pedestal in order to get a good grip. As Zelda saw him tense to pull, she felt a sharp pain at the back of her head, and panic welled in her heart.

Something was wrong. Suddenly time seemed to move too fast and jumbled. Her dream blurred back to the temple entrance and  _ he _ had crossed the threshold. She cried out to Link but, as always in her dreams, she could make no sound. Ganondorf seemed like a storm front rolling in, darkening the whole temple. His deep voice reverberating in her skull.

"Foolish boy. Though I suppose I should thank you and the princess brat for unlocking that meddlesome door. Now the power of the goddesses is mine!"

Zelda ran into the Sword Room once more, thick darkness filled the open chamber. A flash of light blinded her, and she thought she saw an old man dressed in yellow before Ganondorf's scream distracted her. "No! I won't be denied my prize!"

The light faded to a dim grey. Ganondorf stood by the empty pedestal holding his right hand at chest level. "Very well. You cannot hide forever and I will have it all. For now I will enjoy my victory this day, in the world you have abandoned." Ganondorf turned and stared right into Zelda's eyes, "Both of you."

He lifted his hand, and she saw the shape of the Triforce outlined on it as if engraved with light. The top section glowed gold and when she saw it, her own hand burned as if stabbed by a white hot blade. She screamed, her vision filled with the man's dark smile.

She was still screaming. She could feel Impa's arms holding her fast, but she struggled against her like a frightened animal before collapsing silently. As her vision darkened she could just make out her right hand and the Triforce glowing there.

"Where did he go? What have I done?" The small princess whispered as she fell into a deep sleep.


	2. The Beginning

Zelda finished wrapping the cloth around her hand, hiding the Triforce's sheen. It had been a year since it had delivered itself to her and she felt its power within. She knew what she had done on that fateful night a year ago had been for the best. Though Ganondorf possessed a piece of the Triforce and her kingdom, Link and herself also possessed sections of the sacred relic and could use them to defeat Ganondorf's army and magic. But until Link returned she could not face the Dark King.

She and Impa had hidden in this cave in the north reaches of Hyrule for a year now. Occasionally venturing out to get a piece of news (always bad) from a passerby. Ganondorf had slaughtered or enslaved many of her people already. The few people they passed had only terrible tales of Castle Town residents abandoning their homes and fleeing to smaller villages like Kakariko, Impa's hometown.

The last thing Zelda wanted to do was leave Hyrule, her kingdom, in the hands of its dark king. However, the searches for her were getting wider as Ganondorf's forces and power grew. She couldn't allow him to capture her piece of the Triforce before Link returned. A familiar pang in her heart surfaced when she thought of Link. She was not sure if it was the Triforce calling out for its other part, or her own heart crying for her friend. Link was not just her friend, but her only hope. Every day she prayed to the goddesses that he would return. But he never did.

"Are you ready Your Highness?" Impa stood at the cave door, ther horse's reins in her hand. Zelda wished she could ride a horse on her own, but no horse her size would be fast or strong enough for their escape. Zelda took one last look around the cave, now bare of any signs of habitation.

"Yes I am."

Impa picked her up, effortlessly placing her on the saddle before swinging up behind her, "Hold on."

And in a cloud of dust they were gone.


	3. Blades and Needles

"Three years Impa! We've been out here for three years! My people continue to die while I hide at the fringes of my own kingdom. I have to do something."

As always, Impa remained expressionless. She was impossible to draw into an argument because she either obeyed Zelda without question, or stood firm like a mountain in defiance.

"You are learning. You are growing. You are surviving. Your people are also strong, they will survive until it is time to defeat the Dark King."

"How can you say that after what he did?!" Zelda could feel hot angry tears spilling from her eyes and it upset her even more.

They had both gone out in disguise to get some new clothes to combat Zelda’s growth spurts and the princess had used this rare occurrence to gather news of her kingdom. One merchant mentioned the tragedy of Castle Town and Zelda had inquired further, not anticipating the pain and rage it would cause.

A few months ago, Ganondorf's forces had kidnapped citizens and brought them to Castle Town. At first people feared he’d have them executed, as many were known rebels against the new regime. But after a few weeks without the Desert King's usual public executions, other rumors started circulating. Many heard that it was simply the king's way of re-populating his capitol—keeping his enemies close as it were. Some claimed the town held failed rebellions, one huge prison. But then one day a brave but desperate merchant came to the city hoping that the stories of its re-population were true.

He barely made it out alive to tell stories of soul chilling screams and withered brown bodies anxious to eat anything that moved. ReDeads. They were not unheard of even before the Dark Reign, often found in ancient crypts and thus relatively harmless unless disturbed. But most disturbing was that ReDeads are living corpses, and the merchant said they filled the town.

Ganondorf  _ had _ re-populated his capitol—killing off Zelda's people to create a shield of flesh eating warriors, haunting what very well might have once been their homes. It was the darkest of dark magic, and proof of Ganondorf's growing power and evil. Zelda’s whole body shook with rage and sorrow as she stared into her bodyguard’s steady red eyes.

"Be wise Princess! You know that without the Hero of Time, Ganondorf cannot be defeated. You've seen it!"

"Do not speak to me about wisdom, Impa." Zelda raised her glowing hand. "I too have a Triforce, and I have to be able to do something! I do not know when Link's return will be; it has remained hidden from me. As the Princess of Hyrule, and the last living member of the Royal Family, I cannot stand by and let Ganondorf turn my people into monsters!"

Silently, Impa slowly crossed her arms. And then spoke in a low serious voice. "And as the last surviving member of the Sheikah Tribe, I cannot let you be killed. You and the Triforce mustn't fall into Ganondorf's hands or we will be truly lost."

"Oh my, my, my how right you are." The voice had a strange biting accent and in an instant Impa lept between the threat and her princess. Pulling out her short, but deadly, blade.

Out of the shadows emerged a female figure. Her tanned body mostly exposed to the night and her long red hair whipped as she too rolled into action. Twin scimitars sliced through the air as she dove at Impa.

Impa's hand shot through the two blades in a flash and clamped the woman's wrist. But before her sword could follow, the Gerudo assassin twisted, her slippered feet whizzing towards Impa's head.

Dropping to the ground, Impa released her attacker, but lashed out with her sword. It hit the assassin's ankle and her leg buckled. Instead of falling, she rolled into a back handspring and out of range of Impa's weapon.

Zelda trained her bow on the enemy. Impa was right after all, she had been learning these last three years. Zelda could shoot a keese fifty yards away on a cloudy night. This woman with her sparkling head jewel and flashy outfit would be no trouble.

Yet when she released the arrow, the woman vanished.

"My Lord Ganondorf has much respect for you traitors. He sent me, his very best, to find you. You should be honored." The voice seemed to bounce around, not giving away the Gerudo’s position. Impa stood at Zelda's side, in a stance allowing her to move any direction in an instant.

"Traitors?! That's a laugh coming from an usurper!" Zelda snarled.

"You will not speak ill of my lord! I will cut that tongue from your mouth, little girl!" The voice hissed.

A swishing noise filled Zelda’s ears and she hit the ground. She quickly rolled over and saw Impa where she had just been standing.

The assassin had come from the sky! Her twin blades were crossed and screeching against Impa's small sturdy sword. The Sheikah knelt from the force of the attack, but with a grunt tossed the woman off her. The assassin landed on her feet, blades making a whirlwind of steel.

Zelda smiled, Impa was watching the woman with steely red eyes, her body swaying ever so slightly. The princess had seen her bodyguard like this before. Whenever a real threat appeared, Impa would fall into this stance. Analyzing her foe's movements, she would wait and then strike like a snake, her short blade maneuvering through the most complex defenses and finding her mark. It had never failed.

_ There! _ Like living lightning, Impa shot towards her target, once again managing to grab one of her opponent's hilts. Impa's blade caught the other sword and slid down it towards the victim's neck. Another strange black flash and the woman disappeared, but Impa's blade dripped red.

Zelda moved towards her bodyguard, but stopped at Impa's signal. The fight wasn't over.

The invisible assassin's voice ceased, leaving no clues to her location. Zelda watched Impa closely, another arrow nocked, knowing that Impa would be the first to locate their enemy.

However, when Zelda caught Impa's eyes her blood ran cold, they lacked the Sheikah’s usual intense focus. Instead her eyes flicked uncertainly between the princess and the darkness surrounding them. The idea of her bodyguard being defeated had never crossed Zelda's mind before. Impa had sworn to protect her and would never die while danger still threatened her princess. But here, against an invisible foe with unknown abilities, Impa was not all powerful. Zelda clutched her bow tighter.

Hot blood dripped from her sword as Impa sniffed the air, tracking her enemy. Slowly she circled Zelda, eyes closed. Body perfectly balanced through every step, impossible to surprise.

Zelda's confidence returned. Impa would not fail.

It happened in an instant. The woman appeared behind Zelda and Impa moved; her blade rising towards its mark and slipping between the Gerudo’s ribs. The woman gasped as the air leaked out of her punctured lung. Bubbling blood poured down her side as she collapsed. But she didn't fall alone.

Impa coughed blood as she clutched the long steel needle sticking out of her throat. Her enemy sighed one last taunt before the eternal silence of death, "She is alone now, my lord."


	4. Hylia

Zelda crawled towards her bodyguard. Impa stopped her from removing the needle, gesturing to its barbed edge. She grasped the princess’s wrist and pushed her away.  _ Run. _

"No Impa, I'm not leaving you. You swore to protect me." Tears welled up again. Zelda’s hands shook, covered in the blood pouring from Impa’s neck.

Despite Impa’s calm face, Zelda could see so much in her eyes. Love for her princess, the fear and shame that she had failed Zelda as a protector, and a deeper sorrow. Impa's people would be gone when she died, and Zelda recognized that sorrow from the night she had become an orphan.

Removing it's wrapping, Zelda raised her right hand, suddenly calm. Impa would not die. "Lie down, Impa." 

Impa started to push Zelda away, but one look at her princess's face and she complied. In that moment, Zelda did not look like a thirteen year old girl. Her face seemed regal and eternally wise. Like the face of a goddess.

Gently the princess grasped the needle and pulled it out. Impa convulsed on the floor until Zelda placed her glowing hand on Impa’s forehead. Then the convulsions stopped and she lay deathly still.

Working slowly and calmly, the Princess of Hyrule traced her finger around Impa's features and then down around her wound. Last she drew a triangle around Impa's heart. The invisible etching suddenly lit up with a golden light and Impa's chest rose with a shudder.

"Stand up Impa."

Impa obeyed. Looking down at her young charge with squinted eyes. Zelda gave off a divine light like the noonday sun. She gasped as Zelda spoke in a different voice than her own. "The Princess is not safe, Sheikah.”

Zelda’s blue eyes seemed to glow as the new voice continued, “She must survive and remain hidden until reunited with the Hero. Without the Seventh Sage, the chosen Hero of Time will not be able to defeat the King of Evil and the world will be remade in the image of darkness."

Impa fell to the ground bowing before the goddess Hylia, who reached out Zelda’s hand and touched Impa's forehead. "I can grant you some wisdom, but my place is no longer here. I am a figment of myself echoing in this descendant's blood. I will not come again.

“Zelda  _ must  _ emerge as the sage of this time to defeat Ganondorf with her Hero. My presence has caused a reaction in the Triforce and Ganondorf has grown strong enough to sense its power. Our actions here today are signal fires to the other pieces. To stop him from finding Zelda, she must be removed from his influence. I will show you a way."

The slender fingers on Impa's forehead glowed and Impa felt her mind expand, like a door being unlocked. Tears escaped her and she tried to speak, tried to beg the goddess to take back the miracle, her life, the consequences burning her mind. But her voice was gone, her wound had robbed her of that. With a trembling hand she reached up to clasp her Princess's—her Goddess's—wrist.

Hylia smiled, voice soft, "Do not regret what has been done. It was not I alone, Zelda also used her own strength to save your life. Your bond has shown her power she did not know she had." The smile faded, "You will find your voice again, along with your destiny. Until then, be at peace."

The goddess leaned forward and kissed Impa's forehead and with a quiet sigh, Zelda fell into her bodyguard’s arms.

Zelda's eyes flickered open and when she saw Impa's face she smiled, her eyes towards the heavens, "Thank you."


	5. A Brief Return

"Are we really going back to Hyrule?" Zelda bounced on the balls of her feet as she watched Impa pack. Yet part of her mind tempered her childish glee and warned her of the dangers of Impa's plan.

Impa leaned over and Zelda stepped closer so she could read what her mute bodyguard wrote in the dirt.  _ Yes but only briefly. I had a vision of what we need to do. _

"I thought having visions was my job?" Zelda joked and Impa smiled, but there was something unspoken between them.

Something had happened two nights ago when the Gerudo assassin had attacked them. Something Impa didn't want to talk—or at least write—about. Zelda knew something had happened to  _ her _ . She remembered feeling warm and sort of filled up, like every particle of her body brimmed with a kind of energy or light. She remembered knowing Impa wouldn't die and then...just being at peace.

She had also seen Link's face. It wasn’t quite the same Link as she had first conspired with, but she'd known it was him, had felt the unbreakable bond between them. Once more she’d felt that she must wait for him before facing Ganondorf, that they were meant to work together, like a bow and an arrow. They needed each other.

How would she manage to wait for Link to find her? She'd almost lost Impa and she’d seen firsthand how powerful even Ganondorf's servants were. Wherever Link had gone after being granted his Triforce piece, she hoped he was staying safe.

Zelda and Impa’s had tried to be safe as well, but now Impa was packing for them to return to Hyrule. The two fugitives were going  _ towards  _ Ganondorf. It hurt to be afraid to return home. Impa gave her a boost as she climbed the horse. Impa mounted behind her, steering the horse towards Hyrule and Kakariko village where they were headed.

She felt sick with doubt about Impa’s plan even as they rode across Hyrule Field, a vast landscape that used to represent freedom to the princess. Now she only saw it as a place with nowhere to hide. Although they rode at night, the darkness surrounding them like a shield, Zelda’s muscles tensed at every sound. She relaxed briefly as they made it to the pass to Kakariko, Impa’s hometown. 

Impa helped her off the horse and took her hand, pulling Zelda through the dark and silent village to a house, hoping to avoid any attention. Instead of going through the door, Impa helped the princess climb a small cliff. Zelda slipped and flushed as Impa caught her, easily lifting her to the top.

The embarrassment continued as Impa scooped her up like a toddler and carried her from the clifftop to the slanted roof of the house. Still holding the princess, Impa navigated up the roof, precisely following the secret way in. Not a difficult task for the Sheikah since it was, after all, her house.

At last, the two slipped through the window and into a metal pen. Zelda looked up and found herself brushing against the large spotted face of a cow. Zelda gasped and Impa clapped a hand over her mouth. The bovine's brown eyes stared deeply into Zelda's blue ones as she inched around the beast to see what Impa was doing.

The Sheikah shifted some straw and pressed a knot in the floor. The floorboard sprang open revealing a chest. Impa lifted the lid and pulled out three parcels. Then she closed the box, reshuffled the straw and nudged Zelda back the way they came.

After another hour of excruciatingly slow rooftop travel to avoid detection, the two were finally out of Kakariko Village. Impa left the town behind with a sad sigh that rattled oddly in her damaged throat.

They had barely entered Hyrule Field when stalfos rose with a clatter from the earth. Impa's horse, well-trained and not easily alarmed, avoided the first stalfos' blade, circling back as it's master leapt off it and into action. Impa's blade easily severed spine and neck bone as she danced through the squad of skeletal enemies. The horse stayed steady, allowing it's small remaining passenger to draw her bow and take aim. Even with Impa's destructive speed quickly removing targets, Zelda burst a few skulls with her arrows before the battle ended.

The broken bones melted back into the earth. Zelda grit her teeth, more aware than ever that Ganondorf could find them easily. She prayed, the stalfos lacked the intelligence to report their presence to their master. Impa drove the horse, and Zelda, at a breakneck pace for southern Hylia.

Zelda tried to ask where they were going, but Impa didn't have time to stop and write a response. Though the battle had not truly threatened them, there was still the chance Ganondorf knew they were back in Hyrule, which was incentive enough to leave quickly. Despite the oddness of not knowing what was going on and the sight of her kingdom disappearing as they rode back across the field, Zelda felt surprisingly calm.

She trusted Impa and everything felt . . . right. Well, almost everything. Each night as they camped, Zelda could feel a strange tug, like her soul trying to leave her. It had to be the Triforce pieces calling to each other . . . which meant Ganondorf could feel it too. Each night it got stronger, even as they put more distance between themselves and the castle.

If things continued, Zelda knew it would be only a matter of time before Ganondorf caught her. She said a silent prayer that Impa's plan was a good one.


	6. Hylia’s Plan

Impa and Princess Zelda reached the southern parts of Hyrule aware that something followed them. Every night strange laughter filled the air and two glowing lanterns flickered in the distance. In Hyrule Field this would be a sign of an ordinary poe, one of the many unruly ghosts that haunted the field, the site of many historic battles. But as they left Hyrule Field farther and farther behind, they became sure it wasn’t a spirit. 

Zelda flinched as red and blue lights seemed to flicker just at the edge of her vision and she gripped Impa’s waist tighter. "Should we stay and fight it? I think it's going to catch up to us tonight."

Impa smiled deviously, putting a reassuring hand on Zelda's shoulder as she steered their horse into the woods. Zelda's worries grew as the sun sank farther in the sky. Any moment the laughter would begin and whatever was following them would catch them.

A strange sound floated through the trees, not laughter this time, but music. A strange whimsical song turned and twisted in an eternal round as it bounced through the trees.

"Impa are we . . . are these the  _ Lost Woods _ ?" Zelda balked. Impa grinned again and this time so did Zelda. No one would be able to track them in here and as long as Impa had a plan to get them out of the infamous woods, Zelda was happy to enter it.

An hour or two into the woods, the laughter started. Distant and quiet at first, but then one screechy voice pierced the mad music. "Split up sister! We'll find them!"

Despite the strange sister's confidence, the Lost Woods were true to their name and after a day and a half of wandering through its trees, the laughter disappeared. Zelda slid off the horse, rubbing her sore legs, "Alright Impa, now what is this plan of yours?"

Impa pulled a letter out of her bag and handed it to Zelda who had seen Impa working on it days ago. It annoyed her that Impa’d finished it, but chose not to show it to her until now. But the solemn voice in her head told Zelda there was a reason and she snuffed out her anger and opened the letter.

_ Princess, _

_ As I believe you have felt, Ganondorf's powers have grown to the point where he can sense you and the Triforce within you. As we are, we can no longer hide. _

_ The day you saved my life, you used the Triforce, opening yourself to detection. You spoke to me of a way to hide yourself again. I do not know if you remember the experience brought about by your royal blood, but I have tried to follow your instructions the best I can. _

_ You—or rather the goddess from which your family descends—showed me an ancient magic that will hide you until it is the Chosen Time—until the Hero of Time has returned. However, it will change you. _

_ The magic will draw power from you and the Triforce, but to hide that power you need an outside identity. We went to my village to find that identity. Long ago I had a brother, he died of illness at about your age. _

_ According to the goddess, his spirit lingers on a special artifact the tribe entrusted him with. If you use that artifact you can take his form and will be undetectable by any piece of the Triforce. _

_ However, to some degree you will be a new person. You may not entirely remember who you are until the Chosen Time. The combination of his essence and yours will create an entirely new being who will take your place in the world until you return. I do not know how much of you will be in him. _

_ This is the plan the goddess gave me. This is our hope, will you wait with the Hero? _

Zelda looked up, astonished. Become a different person! This was much more than a disguise. This was . . . unheard of.

_ "Of course," _ said the solemn voice in her head,  _ "that is the point after all. I'd be undetectable, as absent as Link." _

With a shaky hand, Zelda handed the letter back, "I—I think this is as it should be."

Impa wrote out and handed her another note.  _ To keep your identity intact. I will not be able to stay with you long after the transformation. I don't know what role I'll play, but it will be a brief one. _

Zelda swallowed hard. "What is this . . . artifact?" she asked, gesturing towards the letter.

Impa pulled out one of the parcels she’d retrieved from Kakariko and unwrapped it to reveal a beautiful golden harp. Zelda felt another tug at her soul, but this time it felt good, like seeing an old friend. At the sight of the harp she knew that if she did this, she would not be lost. 

She knew because Impa's brother and her already shared a connection. He had  _ her  _ harp—Zelda had never seen it before but in her heart of hearts she knew it was hers.

"What was his name?" She whispered as Impa wrote on the paper.

_ Sheik _


	7. Fading

_ Are you sure everything we've planned is acceptable to you, Princess? _

_ 1) You will be Sheik, the 'last' of the Sheikah _

_ 2) I will train you as young Sheikah are trained—in the art of combat and stealth _

_ 3) Your identity will remain completely hidden until the Chosen Time _

_ 4) After I feel I’ve trained you enough to survive on your own, I will leave as to avoid unwanted attention _

Zelda read Impa's note twice. Scraps of paper littered the ground, evidence of the two hour conversation between the two fugitives in the small forest hut they had constructed to take shelter in. Neither knew exactly how the transformation would work; Impa's divinely inspired knowledge only knew that it would result in an entirely new person, and that it would nullify the Triforce's power.

The four points they'd ended with summed up all they knew, all the variables they could fix. Zelda was certain that Sheik would be his name, it felt as natural as a sunrise. She also couldn't believe she would  _ entirely  _ disappear, but as much as she wished, did not feel confident enough to add it to the list.

Running her fingers down the delicate carvings on Sheik's harp, she once again took comfort in it's familiarity. Fear made her stomach cold, and it felt like her very bones were shaking. Whether through strength of will or divine assistance, her face remained calm. "Yes, the plan is fine. I'm ready, Impa."

Impa took her trembling hand. Zelda flinched as she waited for her very identity to slip away, but Impa pulled her into an embrace. The royal bodyguard could not say the comforting words that burned in her damaged throat. Instead she let her princess cry for a few precious moments. 

The Sheikah bodyguard stroked her thirteen year old ward's golden hair, her heart breaking that she'd had to ask this of such a young girl. But while saddened, she also marveled at Zelda's willingness to embrace her destiny. That Zelda allowed herself only this brief emotion, although Impa could tell she was desperately afraid. She held her brave princess even tighter.

After a moment, Zelda stiffened, slowly removed herself from Impa's arms, and wiped her eyes. She took Impa's hands—her own no longer shaking—and placed them on her temples. Then she placed her own right hand over her heart. The Triforce began glowing brightly and Impa touched her forehead to her princess's.

Words flooded Zelda's mind—words Impa couldn't have uttered. They became a melody, one familiar yet strange. Zelda felt herself grow tired, could feel herself slipping away. 

She panicked and tried to summon herself back, visions of her past flashed in her mind. A circle courtyard and a boy in green, a small blue ocarina she played her favorite song on, and her father struck down by a dark blade. She couldn't leave! Her people needed her! The voice that preached patience and wisdom was gone and she wanted to fight! But she fell and the song roared in her ears.

"I'll be back!" The melody drowned the princess out.


	8. Sheik

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PART TWO

There was that girl again. She stood in an open field, a harp in her hands. He could see her fingers moving, but he couldn't hear her song.

He started to walk towards her and she stopped playing. She reached out her right hand and pointed. On the far end of the field was a burning village. He could hear the flames crackling and the screams of the villagers. Then his vision filled with the bright blue eyes of the girl. They glistened, but her voice was filled with desperate determination.

"Save them. Please."

He turned to run towards the village but it was gone. There was only an empty field.

Sheik woke up.

Impa was looking at him with a peculiar expression. Sheik's head hurt and he reached up to rub his eyes, but paused staring at his hands. For some reason he felt surprise at seeing his dark golden hands. He blinked and shook his head.

_ I must be more tired than I thought. _

The vivid image of the girl from his dreams filled his head. She seemed so familiar, he must have dreamed about her many times before, but he couldn't remember. Slowly her face faded from his mind and he ran his fingers through his golden hair.

Refocusing on Impa he gave her a small smile, "Good morning Impa, what's the plan for today?"

His tone was lighthearted, but Impa still looked solemn. She looked . . . sad. Sheik frowned trying to remember if something upsetting had happened the day before. The more he focused, the more the past day seemed to piece itself together. He had . . . trained with Impa. Like they did everyday. She was showing him a particular stance that allowed him to move with equal ability in any direction. Had he screwed up badly? Was she disappointed in him? He couldn't remember.

He looked around and spotted his clothes in a bundle of packaging paper. He couldn't remember why they'd have been packed, but regardless he slipped off the plain tan tunic he was wearing and put on the long sleeved blue shirt. His matching blue pants and shoes were also in the packaging and he put them on quickly. They smelled funny. Like dust.

Last, he reverently pulled out his tabard. The red Sheikah eye covered the front, eternally crying its single red tear. 

Sheik put the tabard on and said a quick prayer to the Goddess. Then he looked back to Impa who was holding a piece of paper in her hand. As Sheik took a step towards her, she crumpled it up and tossed it into a pile of scraps swept in a corner. She stood and impassively looked at Sheik.

A minute or two stretched between them. Sheik scratched his arm, uncomfortable in the awkward silence. He got the feeling Impa was somehow disappointed in him.

"I think I've got the stance you taught me down. Look!" Sheik slid into position, every muscle tensed and ready to move. He focused his senses as Impa had taught him trying to take in everything all at once. Impa moved and with her foot, slid his right leg closer to his center. He smiled, glad Impa was acting normal again. "Attack me! I'm ready for it!"

He went down hard, his elbow hitting a log as he attempted to twist and catch himself. His eyes watered and the nerve bunch in his elbow spasmed. Before he could recover, Impa picked him up by the shoulders and propped him back into position. 

She held him for a moment, but then flicked his ear painfully and he got the message. Listen for the attack, don't rely on your eyes.

Sheik moved back into position and Impa hardly waited. He heard the whisper of her boots on the packed dirt floor but didn't react fast enough. He hit the ground again as Impa drove her knee into his stomach. He gasped as he picked himself up.

Impa stood with her arms crossed, she was frowning with a calculating look in her eyes. Stubbornly, Sheik got back into position. This time Impa came at him from straight on. Surprised, but now able to predict her attack, Sheik deflected her punch pushing it upward with his left hand. With his right he went for her side, but she kicked his legs out from under him.

Angrily, he got back up, but his frustration dissipated when he saw that Impa was smiling. She sat down on the bed and looked at him as he dusted himself off. Then she took a deep breath and pointed to the corner where a dwindling pile of firewood was. Getting the message, Sheik picked up the hatchet next to the pile and set out.

As he left the small hut, Impa turned towards the pile of papers and slowly started to feed them to the small flickering fire. As each burned, she locked away her princess in her mind and focused on deciphering what she could of this Sheik. She would have to act as he expected her too, she would have to gather what his 'past' was from each thing he said and did. 

It was odd to see this boy, materialized in the place of her princess, standing in a Sheikah stance wearing the face of her dead brother. The stance had been so familiar it had been easy to slide into the role of a teacher as she had for her brother all those years ago. But she was more than just Sheik's teacher, she was the guardian of his hidden identity. This would be her most difficult task yet.

At least he won't expect conversation, she thought with a small smile.


	9. Nonverbal Communication

"Argh! Why can't I do this?!"

Sheik pounded the ground angrily with his fist. He and Impa had been training for two hours, and every time she tested his stance with an attack, he ate dirt.

Impa looked at the frustrated boy, the corner of her mouth twitched in amusement. Despite his appearance, he was nothing like her quiet brother. If anything his personality reminded her more of Zelda. Like her, he was ambitious and active. Unlike her, however, he was more open and less likely to see past his current situation. As expected, this Sheik was an entirely new person. As such, Impa was still uncertain how hard she should be on him. She couldn't decide whether to go easy on him or not.

In the end, she had decided she'd continue until he refused to get up and use that as a measure. But it had been two hours and he was still returning to the stance, fiery determination in his red eyes.

As Impa watched Sheik mutter and dust himself off, she sighed. Training would be a lot easier if she could just tell him he was favoring his right leg and focusing too much on his torso. But she had no voice. So instead, she leaned down and shifted his weight by pushing his legs. Then she paused to make sure he got it. Once she was sure he was watching, she slid into the stance herself. She slapped her thigh twice importantly and then gestured to her torso and waved her hand frivolously.

_Focus on the legs not the torso._

Sheik stared at her for a moment and then hesitantly nodded. She started to move to attack and saw him twisting his torso to respond. She halted, slapped him on the shoulder and pointed to his legs. Then she repeated the attack. He _still_ moved his arms before his feet.

Again she stopped, grabbed his shoulders roughly and held them still. Then she pushed down until he started to bend his knees more. She lowered her face to his and nodded, pointing to his knees. She held up a single finger and pointed again to the legs. Then she held a second finger and pointed to his torso.

He again nodded—slightly more confidently. She clamped his torso at his sides, holding him in place one more time to make sure he got the message before backing off to prepare her assault. Sheik couldn't help noticing that non-verbal communication was a bit painful.

After this extended effort, Sheik successfully moved out of the way as Impa attempted to sweep his legs out from under him. When he realized he was still standing, Sheik shot Impa a huge grin. She couldn't help but give him a small smile back. She nodded and waved him to get back into position. 

Impa began thinking maybe this non-verbal communication would work out during training after all.


	10. Purpose

As the two ate dinner in their little hut that night, Impa wrote out in the dirt.

_ How much of Sheikah history do you know? Recite our history as you know it. _

She hoped it wouldn't be an odd question in Sheik's mind. Zelda had known hardly anything about Sheikah lore, but Impa's brother had been tasked with maintaining the Sheikah oral history as well as protecting the harp—a Sheikah relic. Finding out what he knew could help her place him between the two.

Sheik stood, straightened and began to recite the long and tragic Sheikah history. His eyes fixed on the Sheikah eye emblazoned on Impa’s chest. His people's past was forever his and Impa's burden, their failures defining their people's last legacy.

“The Sheikah dedicated themselves to protecting the Hyrulian royal family, a responsibility granted to them from the Goddess Hylia herself. However, the very bloodline they'd sworn to protect betrayed them, ignoring the pleas of their guardians to leave the sacred powers alone.” 

Sheik’s voice was reverent and steady as he continued, “the banishment of the Sheikah tore the clan in half. Some, our ancestors, remained loyal to the royal family while others sought revenge by using dark magic to try to obtain the three goddesses' power. The disloyal Sheikah became known as Interlopers and in the confusion of the Civil War, the Hyrulian response to the Interlopers resulted in the massacre of almost all of the remaining Sheikah.”

Impa nodded slowly, this was much more than Zelda had ever been taught.

“It is unknown what happened to the Interlopers, but the tragedy of the Sheikah was remembered by the surviving loyalists by adding the teardrop to the Sheikah eye.” Sheik’s hand pressed over his tabard, where the symbol cried. “After the war, The Great King of Hyrule united the land under a single banner. The remaining Sheikah re-emerged from hiding and swore allegiance to the king along with all the other races.”

Sheik’s eyes dropped to the floor and his voice wavered as he dutifully continued his recitation. “But there were few left. Within a few generations, the clan dwindled. Now it’s just us and we failed again.”

Realizing what he’d said, Sheik head shot up and he looked up at Impa to see if he had offended her. Before he could apologize and break the flow of the conversation Impa so desperately needed, she waved a hand. Sheik shifted uncomfortably but continued, eyes closed to avoid looking at the woman who now was part of the tragic history, “The royal family was murdered. Ganondorf killed the king but the princess escaped with her Sheikah guard. Before they could reach the safety of Kakariko Village, a Gerudo assassin killed the princess and you were injured and left for dead. With Princess Zelda’s death, the royal family line was ended.”

The boy’s voice cracked and Impa was glad he wasn’t looking at her. She wasn’t sure what emotions were on her face as she realized the world would have to believe in his story—a story of even worse failure and shame than what had really happened.

“After that you came home.” Sheik opened his eyes and sat down. “Hey Impa, you’ve been saying you’d train me since my parents died and I know it’s important that you pass on the Sheikah traditions and I can never repay you for taking care of me despite your responsibilities at the castle but . . . ”

He put his head in his heads and ran his fingers through his hair before looking up at Impa with so much raw emotion her heart ached. “But, if there’s no more royal family. What are we supposed to do?"

The boy’s eyes were so desperate, his need to act and to fight was palpable. They reminded Impa of her princess and she had to hold back a wave of emotion. She put on her impassive mask and leaned over to give the only answer she could, tracing it into the dirt floor.

When Sheik read the dusty letters, he sighed and left the hut. Impa knew her answer wasn't good enough and that she would have to come up with a plan soon. Before sweeping the ground flat she read her own words one more time.

_ Whatever the Goddess Hylia would have us do. _


	11. Dreams of Smoke

Sheik couldn't sleep. He felt so tied up and frustrated inside. He'd been so happy when Impa had fetched him from Kakariko and told him they would be training together. His training before had been a rare treat, slipped in whenever Impa had a chance away from protecting the princess. 

He had been devastated, of course, when Impa had returned wounded and explained that her mission to protect the royal family had failed. But until their 'discussion' at dinner last night, he hadn't realized just how much his life had depended on the royal family. The princess had been the last survivor. Without her, who was he?

Sheik was being trained as a protector, but had no one to protect. The Dark King grew more powerful everyday and his darkness spread and tainted more and more of Hyrule. There were rumors that the Gorons of the north mountains were putting up a fight, but no one seemed too hopeful that they would succeed.

The young sheikah boy turned over once more, twisting the already tangled bedroll more tightly beneath him. He had to admit there was another reason he didn't sleep. He didn't want to see that village on fire again. Each time it got clearer and clearer it was Kakariko Village. 

Kakariko was all he had left, it was Impa’s and his home. He couldn't bear the thought of it being destroyed. He had to somehow protect it. But how could he—a half-trained thirteen year old boy—do anything against Ganondorf's forces?

Questions swirled around in Sheik's mind for hours before he finally fell asleep. In his dreams, he found himself once again in Hyrule Field. The girl stood barefoot on the grass in front of the burning village.

Sheik ran to the village, ignoring the girl, and confirming his fear that it was indeed Kakariko. Fire rimmed the huge windmill that rose from the cloud of black smoke. Dark shapes moved behind the flames in the village and the clash of metal could be heard between the screams. A figure on a dark horse rose up from the smoke and a guttural laugh drowned out the chaos. Sheik felt fear creep up his spine and he knew this dark man was Ganondorf.

Frozen in fear, he watched Ganondorf ride through the village and disappear in the choking smoke. He felt a hand clasp his wrist. He spun around, yanking the girl who'd grabbed him. She caught herself on his shoulder and Sheik found himself staring into the bright blue eyes of the girl in the field.

She smiled and placed her finger on her lips and began to run, pulling Sheik along. The two ran and ran until Sheik found himself in a copse of trees. The girl released his hand and sat on a strange stone under an oak tree. The stone had the Sheikah eye and what looked like a grinning smile.

As if coming out of a trance, Sheik shook his head and looked around him. Everything felt too vivid to be a dream even though he knew it was one. He could smell the trees and the lingering smoke that clung to his clothes.

"Hello, Sheik."

A strange sensation crept over Sheik as he finally heard the girl's voice. She had never spoken in his dreams before, but her voice seemed familiar.

He tried to focus, but gathering his thoughts proved impossible in the dream. Every time he tried to remember something or try to find an explanation for anything, it slipped away like water through his fingers.

"Who are you?" Sheik managed to ask.

The girl stared sadly upward and Sheik saw storm clouds rolling across the sky. "There's something you need to know. Something we're missing, do you know what it is?"

Sheik frowned trying to think of what he needed. He remembered what he had been angry about before he fell asleep, the question he had asked Impa. He looked at the girl. "What am I supposed to be doing? What is my purpose now that the royal family is gone?"

"What do you want it to be?"

Sheik was taken aback. It wasn't his to decide, he was a protector, a servant to the royal family and the Goddess Hylia. But he no longer had anything to protect . . . 

He broke away from his thoughts as the girl lifted her arm and pointed to Sheik's left. Her face was grim and her eyes reflected what he felt inside. A sorrow for Hyrule's suffering, for a lost purpose. A boiling anger at the Dark King . . . and an anger at his own inability.

He realized the girl was pointing back towards Kakariko. Towards his home. Sheik understood. He still had something to protect. He may not be Hylian, but Kakariko was his home as was Hyrule.

A massive thunderclap jolted Sheik and he felt fear again. Fear of the dark man in the smoke. "How can I fight against Ganondorf? What can I do? What hope is there?"

The girl hopped off the strange stone and took Sheik's hand in hers. The dream moment seemed to stretch as she smiled at him. He felt his fear melt away like a warm light was shining on him.

"There is hope and there are things you must do. You must finish training quickly if you are to help defeat Ganondorf. Much is still hidden from me, but I know there is something we can do. Ask Impa for the harp. Then play this song. We can talk again then."

The girl stepped back and clasped her hands and began to sing. The song rose and fell and as she sang, the girl seemed to glow. Sheik felt a strange pinch in his chest and as the song finished he weakened, a hollowness aching in his heart. "W—who are you?"

The girl blinked and then looked about nervously. She stammered and bit her lip. "I'm . . . I'm . . . "

The girl's answer—if she gave one—was lost as Sheik jolted awake at Impa's touch. He glanced around as if the girl might be sitting by the fire. He tried to recall her words before the image faded.  _ The harp. _

"Impa, I need to ask you something!"


	12. The Prophecy

Impa dropped the firewood she had just picked up. She froze waiting to make sure she had heard the boy correctly.

"Impa, do you have a harp?"

The Sheikah woman rubbed her eyes tiredly. Right when she thought she'd figured out Sheik and how to handle him, he started saying things he shouldn't know. He hadn't mentioned the harp in his stories, so she had assumed he didn't remember it. And he said  _ a _ harp not  _ my _ harp or  _ the _ harp. How did he know about it? Was there more of her brother in him than she thought?

Her eyes widened as another thought occurred to her. Maybe there was more of Zelda in him?

She turned to face her pupil, face indifferent. She cocked her head quizzically at him.

"I, uh, had a weird dream . . . " The boy blushed as he realized how odd he sounded, asking about random musical instruments first thing in the morning. But, he thought, Impa's initial surprise had been a little dramatic. She wouldn't have dropped what she was holding just because he was saying nonsense. Realization dawned on Sheik; Impa knew what he was talking about, or at least more than he did. But why the quizzical look?

Sheik was puzzled. Impa seemed to be playing some sort of game, like she was hiding something. Sheikah were trained to read people's emotions and responses as well as hide their own. Was this some sort of test? If so, Sheik was determined to pass. "You do have a harp don't you! You wouldn't have been so surprised if you didn't! What's going on? Is it special?"

Impa sighed, the sound rattling in her injured throat. She sat at the fireplace, waved Sheik over, and—grateful that she hadn't swept up the ashes yet—wrote in the soot.

_ Tell me about your dream and I'll show you the harp. _

Sheik eagerly came over and read her message. Then he opened his mouth to speak but closed it without saying anything.

He stared at Impa trying to read her expression, but to no avail. Was this also a test? Impa's message had been a trade, like there were supposed to be negotiations. Sheikah were masters of the shadows and that often meant espionage. As such every Sheikah knew the value of information and always strove to gather the most while giving the least away.

Still unsure whether this was all a test or not, Sheik spoke slowly, unwilling to fail if it was. "I had a strange dream where I was told to ask you about a harp." He sat back satisfied he'd given little away that he hadn't already. He did his best to make his face unreadable like a proper Sheikah.

Impa hid her frustration, but screamed internally. Now of all times, the ever-anxious and impatient boy was playing secrets. She studied his face, it's blank stare broken by the occasional twitch of his lips, a sure sign he was anxious to hear and say more. Why the discipline? Why wasn't he telling her everything? As Sheik crossed his arms, Impa realized what was going on.  _ He's waiting for me to make the next move! He thinks this is training! _

Amused, Impa merely shrugged outwardly. If Sheik wanted to train she would oblige, even if it frustrated her to no end. There was no way he'd be able to hide anything from her for very long anyway. He might as well learn from the experience, he could use some practice at discretion. 

Then again this would also be the hardest investigation Impa had ever done since it was very possible she knew more about his secrets than he did. She'd have to be incredibly careful to pick at his little mystery without revealing Sheik's biggest secret. Impa had no idea what would happen if he were to discover his origin, but had a feeling it wouldn’t be good.

She stood up and walked calmly to her little pile of belongings. She pulled out the harp, wrapped in a white cloth. Slowly she removed the instrument from its coverings and turned back towards Sheik. He failed to hide the recognition and eagerness in his eyes, so Impa tapped next to her own eyes to alert him. He shifted nervously, biting his lip as he realized his mistake.

_ Expressions tell as much as words, and often give away secrets more easily. _

The old Sheikah saying was the backbone of this sort of training. Impa walked over and placed the harp in Sheik's hands.

Sheik tried to analyze  _ everything _ . Did Impa hand it over so easily because it wasn't anything special? Or was she trying to say she trusted him? Or was there another motive he hadn't thought of? While his brain worked, his fingers folded naturally over the harp's edge. He didn't notice that his fingers placed themselves in the correct position to play. 

Impa had made her move. Sheik's reaction would tell a lot about his story. She couldn't hide the feelings that welled in her seeing the image of her brother holding the Goddess Harp, his most prized possession. This Sheik's fingers knew the harp, though from his first questions, he had never seen it. Was the dream part of her brother's past? Zelda had never played a harp and wouldn't have known how to place her fingers on the strings. 

Then again, Impa thought, Zelda had  _ known _ this harp, had called it her own. Frustration filled her, there were too many variables and unknowns. All she could do was wait and see what Sheik did.

Sheik didn't know what to do. Should he try to play the song? Should he give the harp back? This game was too hard! He took a deep breath and tried to look at things logically. What did he want to know? That was easy; he wanted to know what his dream meant, who the girl was, what would happen when he played that song, and what Impa's connection to the harp was. And what was he trying to keep concealed? The dream. It was the one thing he knew that Impa couldn't possibly know.

If he gave it back, he wouldn't learn anything. If he played the song, he would learn what happened but Impa would know . . . know what? That he knew a song? He could just say some villager taught it to him. There was no knowing if Impa would recognize the tune, and if she did, he'd learn something as well.

Satisfied that he had worked out a proper Sheikah plan. Sheik focused on the instrument. His fingers went to the right strings—something he didn't question but Impa studied intently—and soon he was picking out the melody. Impa's eyes widened as Zelda's lullaby filled the small hut. A million questions raced through her mind. Was the seal too weak, would Ganondorf sense this? Was Zelda trying to say she was still there? Either way, game time was over. Impa moved to stop Sheik from playing, but froze when she saw his face.

He’d closed his eyes and looked almost serene. The song continued for a few moments before it changed, it warped and Sheik's fingers backtracked over the notes forming an entirely new melody. Impa recognized this song too, or at least small pieces of it. Her brother often tried to piece together the surviving measures of the Ballad of the Goddess, but he never was able to play it like this. It was whole. Staring at something unseen, Sheik spoke,

"When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be sages: those who dwell in the five temples. One in deep forest, one in high mountain, one under a vast lake, one within the house of the dead, one in the goddess of sand. Together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world."

The teenage boy's crimson eyes blinked and this time when he spoke his voice cracked, "What's a sage?"


	13. Hope

_ The sages are legendary protectors of Hyrule. They are the bridges between the Sacred Realm and our world. It has been a very long time since anyone has gathered the sages. No one knows when the tradition of the sages dwindled into myth, but legends of their power still exist in ancient writings. _

Sheik placed the paper back on the table and rubbed the harp thoughtfully. "But why was I talking about them? I'm no seer."

Impa dripped ink on the paper for a few seconds trying to decide what to write. Noticing this, her student tried to read her face, but Impa's guard was a stone wall. Finally she wrote,  _ That harp is an ancient Sheikah relic. It was traditionally entrusted to the historians of our tribe. Supposedly it is the Goddess Harp, one of the Goddess Hylia's possessions. It's possible she is speaking through you. _

Sheik thought about the girl in his dreams . . . could she be Hylia? It was the only explanation. And if she was giving them a message about the sages then that means . . . 

Sheik stood up suddenly, slamming his non-instrument holding hand onto the table. "That means there's still hope. If the sages are so powerful, they can defeat Ganondorf. Impa we have to find the sages!"

Impa was once again confused. She hated that, she usually had all the answers, a master at following the intricate web of events. It was what made her a skilled Sheikah. And now there were too many things to follow. Each time there was  _ a plan _ something came and jumbled the pieces. Was this new prophecy or was it an old prophecy? Was it from her brother, Hylia, or Zelda? Or all three? The plan was supposed to be to hide until that Link boy returned.

The prophecy  _ did _ mention the Hero of Time. Was it truly Hylia telling them there was more to be done? Maybe Sheik was right and gathering the sages was essential to defeating Ganondorf. Hadn't Hylia also told Impa something about the sages? They could look into it while waiting for the Hero.

Impa looked up at the boy, his face was alight with hope and full of renewed purpose. There was no way she'd be able to convince him to stay hidden after she left. Maybe this was for the best. She would continue her role as his trainer, preparing him as best she could for his new quest. 

It would be dangerous though. Thus far they had been cautious, avoiding the Dark King's attention. Poking around and trying to find ways to defeat him was risky, and Impa's first priority was to keep Sheik and the hidden Triforce safe. But she also knew she would have to leave him on his own soon anyway. Besides, despite their short time together, Impa knew this Sheik well enough to know he wouldn’t be content hiding indeterminately. She tapped the quill tip on the paper, leaving a speckling of flicked ink. She wasn't used to being so uncertain, but if he was looking for the sages, she knew where to start.

_ If we want to find out more about the Sages, we'll need to get into the Great Library. _

"Where's that?"

The dark look on Impa's face was all the answer Sheik needed. His hope turned cold and dropped in his stomach. They would have to go to Ganondorf's castle.


	14. Training

Sheik wasn't sure what time it was, but he suspected it was early. Very early. The air was chilly and had that fresh morning smell. But then again he couldn't be certain, the blindfold made sure of that. His teacher had wrenched him out of bed and blindfolded him before dragging him outside. 

He didn't know what to expect for this lesson, but now that the two had a mission, Impa would accelerate his education. He grinned at the prospect of action. Thoughts of their mission fled his mind as a hard shove made him teeter, nearly losing his footing. 

Sheik slid into a balanced stance and tried to sense where Impa was. He could hear the buzzing of awakening insects and slowly he reached his hand out. He came in contact with a small tree branch and the dew on its leaves confirmed his suspicion of the time.

There was a soft whooshing noise and though Sheik’s arm moved up to block, it was late and the blow glanced him with enough force to make him step back. Now aware of the game, Sheik focused on the sounds around him. He tuned out the insects and the rustling of the trees. This time he was ready. When he heard the soft scuff of a shoe, he whirled in the right direction. Amazingly, he succeeded in stopping Impa's jab.

With much effort, Sheik held back a crow of triumph when he stopped the next hit as well. The stances and blocks were easy enough, his training thus far had covered them in depth, and he was not having any trouble isolating the sounds around him. He returned to his balanced position and listened again. Impa was circling him quickly, and he tried to keep his confidence from breaking his focus since he knew Impa would up her game if he was having it easy. The steps were fast and when they stopped, Sheik only had a vague sense of where she was. He waited again for her to move.

Ten minutes. At least. The sweat on his forehead grew cold as another breeze blew through. Impa hadn't moved, or at least not that Sheik had heard. He didn't dare move himself in fear of his own sounds masking the soft shuffle of Impa's cloth boots. A bead of sweat broke free of his hairline and began to roll towards his eyes. The trees rustled again and Sheik felt the sharp pain of Impa's fist in his lower back. He spun, but she was gone. How had she gotten all the way around him? He concentrated, filtering out the bugs and leaves again. Where was she?

It was hours before he was able to track Impa consistently and eventually he recalled more of the Sheikah mantras he had read about, but never had the opportunity to practice.  _ Let the trees mask your steps. Blend into the surroundings in every dimension. _

Sheik mentally repeated this hard earned lesson as the training continued. The roles switched and now he was the one who moved with the wind around the blindfolded Impa. As the trees started up again, he lunged. In and out in the same gust. Impa rubbed her arm where he'd hit her and nodded. As she began to remove her blindfold, Sheik sat down gratefully. The noon sun was high in the sky, beating him as hard as Impa had. 

Tired but victorious, Sheik could move undetected like a true Sheikah! It made sense that Impa was grilling him in stealth given their intention to sneak into Hyrule Castle and Sheik was beginning to think they could actually do it.

A guttural noise interrupted Sheik's internal revels and he glanced at his teacher. She gestured for him to follow. At first she walked slowly, weaving through the forest carefully. Then she picked up the pace, seeming to bound like a deer through the underbrush. Sheik struggled to keep up, leaping off rocks and trees as she did to avoid getting entangled. He glanced down to avoid a hole in the ground, and when he looked up, she was gone.

Anxiously he glanced about until he heard a snap from above where he saw Impa crouching on a wide tree branch. Like a monkey she leapt and swung higher and Sheik, tired as he was, had no choice but to follow.

They repeated the forest run every day for a month until Sheik began to feel as much at home perched on a thin tree branch as on solid ground. The stealth exercises became increasingly difficult. When he mastered moving in the cover of darkness, they began earlier and earlier in the day, forcing him to utilize the patterns of the clouds as cover. On a clear day he had to be more clever. Determined not to fail the seemingly impossible task of sneaking past Impa in broad daylight, Sheik began looking for tools to use.

He discovered a small nut, covered in a dark brown shell. He’d stepped on one accidently and when his weight made the shell explode into a flash of blinding light he’d gotten an idea. Carefully he collected the deku nuts and as he slowly crept towards Impa, he tossed them, using the flash as a distraction to get behind her. Impa bent down and picked up the shattered brown shell from the floor and smiled approvingly. 

She beckoned him to the tree line and he dutifully followed, she rummaged through the underbrush until she found the plant she was looking for. Slowly she showed Sheik how to strip it down and which parts were medicinal, which plants released a greasy sap that could be used to silence noisy hinges, or which were poisonous and could be applied to a blade or arrow. 

Combat, stealth, and survival. Impa drilled these skills into Sheik over the next six months. As Impa observed her pupil she noticed he became more focused, less questioning. He had an air of quiet confidence that let him complete his task with precision and thought. Sheik intuitively learned to quiet his mind with his body. As they fought or practiced, he was focused and calm, any uncertainty or nerves carefully shut away to not impede the task at hand. 

It was a level of mental fortitude she had feared the impulsive boy would not ever achieve. However although she knew this mindset would serve him well, she was concerned. If Sheik had been trained in the proper timetables, they would have spent months meditating and talking through it, learning to process and unpackage those fears and struggles after training. Unable to effectively talk him through it, she only hoped he would find the balance on his own as well.

This change was unexpected to Sheik as well. This previously untapped zone of focus was a closed door in his mind, silencing his internal struggles until there was only the task at hand. He only left this state when he lay down to sleep. Then like opening a floodgate, the questions, doubts, and thoughts ran free in his mind.

During these short respites, he found himself confused. Perplexingly, he felt that everything had gotten complicated despite the fact that his current routine was so simple. Both his training and their plan, despite being daunting, were simple. So why did he feel so lost, like there were a thousand paths he didn't know, like he himself was unraveling and being scattered in the wind? 

Each night he would repeat to himself what he knew.  _ Ganondorf must be stopped. The sages are our only chance. We'll research how to find them in the library. I will be ready. _ Yet despite believing all these things, he felt uncertain and afraid. 

Perhaps it was the haunted look he sometimes found in Impa's eyes. 

As he’d improved, Impa made her tests more challenging and one time, after a five hour search to find her, he had managed to sneak up undetected but instead of immediately attacking, he had just watched.

She had looked old. Her silver hair was not due to age and her toned body was young and strong, and yet somehow in that moment she had looked fragile. Sheik knew she must be thinking about her lost princess and the traumatic failure to protect her charge. Impa looked like the weight of the world was on her shoulders—and that it was a familiar burden. She’d stared at the horizon from atop a tall cliff, and from his perch in the trees, he could see doubt and worry written in her face and body. Seeing that sorrow borne silently filled Sheik with uncomfortable emotions he couldn’t sort through. 

Impa always seemed so unstoppable, but she had failed before. Even in the forest, far from central Hyrule, Sheik could find traces of the Evil King influence; an increase of monsters in the forest, general gloom in the air, and the disturbing red ring around Death Mountain that he sometimes glimpsed through the treetops. Yet none of these things scared him like Impa's doubtful moment.

He felt there was something he was missing, a piece of knowledge or a key experience, something that would make him understand Impa's fears. But he also wasn't sure he really wanted to know what Impa knew; sometimes he felt like his world was brighter than the one she saw and he didn't want to give that up.

Even throughout his intense training, there were moments when the world felt right; that there was no doom creeping towards them. But he also knew the world was in actuality sliding into darkness and that all the hopeful thinking and enjoying moments would not stop the end from coming. He didn't dream very vividly since the girl told him about the harp, but sometimes he would awake with the memory of the burning village and the smell of smoke would haunt him throughout the day. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't forget the darkness any more than Impa could.

Sheik would fluctuate from being prepared to do his part in whatever Hylia planned, to wishing he could just stay with Impa in this distant forest forever. He was on a precipice and knew a choice was coming. He would have to decide his path, discover what he was here for. Was he the hero he wanted to be, the one to find the key to saving his land? Or was he just one more victim of life, an orphan hiding in the forest with his broken mentor? Sheik didn't know. As he woke up each morning, he would shove all these doubts and thoughts back into their box and prepare to train. The one thing he was sure of was that he had a mission to complete.


	15. Breaking and Entering

Finally it was time! Six months of training in these woods had changed Sheik into a more solemn boy, but he still struggled to contain his joy at the prospect of seeing something besides trees. Oh and to see people again! Maybe they wouldn't have to procure supplies through scavenging or trading with miserly merchant scrubs anymore. As he followed Impa and her white horse over the wooden bridge, Sheik practically skipped.

He nearly tripped as he saw something out of the corner of his eye. It was a small face far below them. It wasn't the mask of a Skull Kid--which Sheik was glad about since those forest tricksters gave him the creeps--but it blended expertly into the leafy forest floor. Sheik quickly tried to spot the figure again, but only managed to glimpse the back of a small figure with green hair as it disappeared through a log. He wouldn't have noticed at all if it hadn't been for the pink fairy that followed the small person.

"Impa! Did you see that? It looked like there was a person down there!" 

Impa paused for a moment to glance down where Sheik was pointing, then she shrugged and continued walking.

Sheik pulled the scarf-like collar of his tabard up to cover his frown and couldn't help feeling his elation wither now there was something interesting to find. Six months running through these trees and he’d never seen any of the mysterious fairy folk. He’d assumed they’d been made up. Go figure one would show up now that he was leaving.

His sulking ended though when they emerged from the forest. The vast green field stretched as far as Sheik could see, the sun was high in the sky blinding his eyes used to the filtered green light of the Lost Woods. Hyrule Field looked uncorrupted by the Dark King, but Impa had warned Sheik that evil spirits called poes infested the field along with skeletal stalfos.

Though the field itself seemed quiet, the red ring around Death Mountain and the dark clouds in the distance towards Castle Town were constant reminders of the danger that lurked in Hyrule. As part of his training, Impa had made Sheik memorize her map of Hyrule and he knew they would be heading north until they found the Zora river, following it past Kakariko to Castle Town. 

Castle Town, infested by ReDeads and home base of the Dark King himself. Sheik clenched his jaw, the cold dread he'd kept at bay all morning welled up at the thought of their destination.

Impa and him had spent hours devising and memorizing their plan. Trying to account for every possibility. They would sneak through Castle Town, trying to avoid any encounters with the ReDead. Impa promised Sheik that, if left undisturbed, the withered corpses would remain stationary. Dampé, the grave-keeper of Kakariko, had scared Sheik and other kids with tales of ReDeads rising from their graves to suck the very life from children. Even though he knew the greater danger was in the castle and not the dead surrounding it, the thought of facing the ReDeads made Sheik twitchy.

Impa tossed him a bundle which he barely caught, distracted by his worries. Pulling another bag from her horse's back, Impa also removed the horse's tack and then slowly stroked the white stallion's mane. Their pale hair mingled and Impa murmured, the sound bubbling inhumanly in her throat. Then she pointed to the northwest and slapped her steed's flank, sending it galloping obediently in the direction she pointed. The horse, trained and wise though it was, stood out too much for their mission. Sheik was sure Impa would find it again, but the parting was still sad to watch.

After a moment, Impa turned away from where her steed had disappeared and glanced up at the bright noon sky. She growled in frustration. It was nigh impossible to tell the time of day in the Lost Woods and the plan was to head out in the night. Impa tossed her small pack behind a tree and lay in wait for the night, indicating Sheik to do the same.

The sun set and the moon, a thin scythe-like crescent, rose high in the sky doing little to light the darkness. It was a night worth waiting for. 

Impa gave the signal to move, one of the many she had invented to help them communicate quickly on such a dangerous mission.

The two Sheikah ran through the blackness. The eternal breeze that swept Hyrule Field masked their soft, swift steps. A few bobbing lights could be made out, but they knew better than to be fooled by poes. Guided by the stars and their instincts, Impa and Sheik ran straight towards Castle Town, their mission finally commencing.

Before long, the two made out the rushing sound of Zora River. Both felt their hearts tugged towards the long staircase they knew was on the other side. But Kakariko was not the goal, so they continued to the calmer waters at the entrance of Castle Town. The sliver of moon reflected in the water that flowed through the broken remains of the famous drawbridge. The sight of the thick wooden beams’ jagged edges sticking out of the moat like claws seemed like a warning to Sheik. 

To Impa this only meant they wouldn't have to climb the walls. With a running jump, she cleared the moat and landed lightly on the other side. Her student once again raised his tabard to cover his face and took a deep breath before he jumped as well. He landed closer to the moat than Impa, but still as steady and silent as his mentor, the white fabric covered his grin. He stopped smiling as he made out the looming shapes of the boarded up town. Crossing the field had given Sheik's scarlet eyes time to adjust and he could faintly make out dark lumps on the streets. He shuddered as he registered the lumps as ReDeads.

Following Impa's exact footsteps as best he could, the two wove through the square. Leaping atop and over the fountain in the center allowed the Sheikah to avoid the majority of ReDead. Sheik paused a moment at the top of the fountain to look at a tall steepled building. It seemed to glow an eerie grey in the night, but Sheik correctly guessed it was actually a bright white marble. Tall windows reflected the moonlight in distorted ways revealing the temple’s stained-glass. Sheik had no more time to ponder the building as Impa crossed the square, entering the path to the castle.

Sheik had only seen the castle once before, when Impa took him there after his parents died. It had been a warm inviting place for the young orphan, though he had returned to Kakariko quickly. Now the white walls were as dark as the night, and tall spikes blocked out the stars. Even the structure seemed changed. The walls seemed taller, like the whole castle was stretching upward. It had a distorted look that left no doubt that dark magic permeated the grounds. Sheik failed to keep his hands from shaking as his brain processed where he was and who lay inside. Did Dark Kings sleep? Sheik hoped so.

Impa only hesitated a moment. She knew any pause could be deadly and she trusted that their training would help Sheik keep up. The two scaled one wall and ran along the crenelated pathway. They spotted a stalfos guard in a watchtower, it’s skull pale against the dark stone, but they moved on quickly. 

Suddenly, Impa stopped and dropped to the ground. Sheik, fearing detection, crouched quickly but found Impa removing a stone from the floor and not preparing for a fight. Once the stone slab was free, she motioned for Sheik to enter. Without hesitation he dropped into the hole.

The darkness of the Hylian night did not prepare Sheik for the inky depths of the tunnel. He held out his hand and touched his nose, unable to even make out its outline. He heard Impa land in the dust behind him, glad he'd had the sense to move out of the way, and reached out for her. His hand found hers and she placed it on her shoulder. Keeping contact with Impa, Sheik was able to follow as she wove through the dark tunnel. Their steps echoed softly in the absolute silence and Sheik could feel the passage ascending. He skidded to a halt when she stopped. He could hear her sliding her hand over what sounded like a rough stone wall. Her hand found it’s goal, and the wall slid sideways revealing a small door. It made a  _ shhh _ like a warning.

Jumpy but in full control of his body, Sheik forced himself to make slow deliberate steps into the room Impa had entered. It was a big room, but the furnishing made it seem smaller. A large window allowed moonlight to creep in and reveal the details. The bed linens were in ribbons and drawers lay broken on the floor. Small feminine clothes, tattered and ripped, littered the ground and small clumps of dust blew across in the brief draft the passage had let in. Sheik wanted to linger at the melancholy scene and the strange temptation made him uncomfortable. 

He tore his eyes away from the shredded bed and noticed Impa staring at him. He stared back, determined not to show any fear. Impa, seeing his determination, nodded and moved to the room's door, opposite of the passageway which slithered shut behind them. The opening mechanism had been explained during their planning, but Sheik still felt trapped as their escape closed.

Impa stood to the side of the door and tilted her head at it. Sheik snuck forward and began his first task. He poured his vial of deku seed oil over a small rag and began to oil the door hinges. He could feel rust releasing its grip and when he felt satisfied the doors would remain quiet when opened, he nodded at Impa. Slowly she opened the door a crack and it silently obliged. She slipped out and as previously ordered, Sheik took his place at the door's side. When he saw her hand reach back in in a fist he too emerged. 

His mentor had been very strict about Sheik not being seen, explaining that if caught, he should escape unseen by any means necessary, even if it meant letting Impa take the fall or removing any witnesses of his presence. Impa insisted that the mission, which could be reattempted, was less important than Ganondorf not knowing about Sheik. Sheik was uncomfortable with these plans, not quite understanding why she was so obsessed with his secrecy, but was not naive; as the Sheikah saying went: an unknown enemy is always more dangerous than one known.

The two crept silently down the dark hall. At the first corner, Impa once again went ahead and returned for Sheik. She pointed out the thick carved oak doors of the library. They were halfway to it when they heard the heavy steps of a guard. The two paused long enough to take in the step pattern. They matched the guard's pace and used one step to bound to the wall and then another to scale it. The rough stones of the wall were easy compared to some of the slick branches Sheik had climbed in the forest. His training allowed him to mirror Impa and cling to the corner of the wall and ceiling like a spider. They had chosen a spot equidistant of two torches, in the shadows as much as possible.

_ People never look up. _

Another Sheikah mantra that proved its worth as the guard walked right under the intruders. The guard was a Hylian which surprised Sheik. Impa had warned him some might have joined Ganondorf's forces, but Sheik couldn't help but hope that in a fight he would only have to destroy stalfos. Or if he had to slay a living being, he'd hoped it would be a Gerudo like the one that murdered Zelda and maimed Impa, not one of his own adopted people. Either way the danger passed as the guard turned the corner the two had come from. At Impa's signal, the Sheikah slid down the wall and silently crept to the library doors.

As tempting as it was to try to make out the intricate carvings on the oak surface, the two quickly began checking the hinges of the door before opening it. There were two braziers at each end of the door, clearly illuminating the intruders, and both knew that anyone else entering the hall would catch them. After a dozen seconds that felt like an eternity, Impa entered the library and gave Sheik the signal to follow. They fanned out and scouted the stacks to make sure they were alone. Satisfied, they regrouped in the middle, among plush chairs, low tables, and a cold fireplace. 

Scanning the hundreds of books, Sheik thanked the goddess Impa had lived in the castle for so long. He was sure he'd have never been able to find the right books without the Castle Librarian. Ceiling to floor bookshelves covered two thirds of the circular room. The library was two floors tall and the last third of the room had a balcony reached by a spiral staircase with yet more shelves above and below it. There were rolling ladders scattered amongst the shelves, illuminated in the light let in by the enormous skylight. With the scythe moon held threateningly above them, the two made their way to the section Impa was sure held any existing legends of the sages.

Impa had explained to Sheik that Zelda had once been quite interested in the sages, but had left off her study when she became frustrated by the cryptic passages. Looking at the library, Sheik could picture a small girl, hands running along the pages of a giant book in the warm glow of a fireplace. He hoped what she had found lacking, they would find illuminating.

Impa reached a shelf and let out a small guttural growl that Sheik was sure would have been a curse if she'd been able to manage one. The shelf she faced was empty except for two massive volumes. One lay propped up on a shelf alone while the other, two shelves down, lay open revealing the torn edges of removed pages. Sensing Impa's despair, Sheik stepped forward and pulled the closed book down. He handed it to Impa who took it without removing her eyes from the empty shelf. Sheik took the open one himself and whispered to Impa, "they might have missed something."


	16. Owls and Music

Impa turned the pages of the old book, scanning each page for something, anything, that would reward the dangerous risk they were taking. But the book gave her no answers.

"I found something," Sheik whispered, touching Impa lightly on the shoulder.

Impa placed the book on the dusty floor and leaned over Sheik's shoulder. He pointed to a large ink doodle of a bird on a page titled  _ ‘The religious meaning and symbolism of owls in Hyrulian history.’ _

"Do you think it was Zelda's?" Sheik asked. 

Impa ran a finger over the poorly drawn owl and nodded. She had seen Zelda doodle instead of study enough times to recognize her work. The owl’s eyes were comically big and it’s wings awkwardly wobbled at its side. Zelda had always liked birds. As a little girl she would pretend she was flying or riding on the back of a great bird.

"Look there's some letters underlined too,” Sheik pointed out as he ran his finger over the worn text. “Looks like the same ink."

Impa pulled herself out of the sad nostalgic thoughts of the child princess, and looked to see what Sheik was pointing out. "I-N-M-E . . . hardly seems like enough letters for a code message. " Sheik sounded disappointed, but Impa smiled and stood up.

She walked to the library fireplace—saying a prayer to Hylia that it was still there. Sure enough there was a large wooden owl statuette on the mantle, it’s stiff pose matching the doodle’s. Flipping it over Impa found a chiseled dip and at its center, a cork stopper. The dip allowed the cork to stick out while assuring the owl sat level on the mantle. She wondered during which of the princess’s many frustrating escapades she had done this. Impa pulled out the cork, Sheik's excited breath warm on her shoulder. Out from the hollow owl came three rolls of paper, one badly damaged. The two returned to the windowed end of the room and used the feeble light of the moon to read the papers. 

The first was clearly well read and while intact, had creases and thin holes from numerous foldings and unfoldings. It seemed to be a prophecy of some kind.

_ When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be sages who dwell in the five temples. One in deep forest, one in high mountain, one under a vast lake, one within the house of the dead, one in the goddess of sand. Together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world. _

The princess had written light notes all over the sheet. An arrow annotating the mountain as Death Mountain, a small ocarina by the word ‘Time’, and a few others. The only one that didn't make sense was the small dark quarter note drawn by 'forest' and the large note at the bottom that read 'MUSIC—need to find.'

Sheik pulled the other two sheets from beneath the prophecy and laid them side by side. They were both music sheets. Impa watched as Sheik ran his fingers over the notes, his other hand twitching, plucking the strings of an invisible harp.

One sheet was nearly torn into three and yellowed with age. Inpa could barely make out the faded title:  _ "The Prelude of Light." _ It was only a few measures, as was the second sheet,  _ "The Minuet of the Forest."  _ At the bottom of the minuet was another note in the Princess's hand.

_ Everything seems to tie the sages, the temples, and the relics to music. The only song names I can find directly mentioned with the sages are the Song of Time and the Prelude of Light. The Song of Time has been passed to me along with the ocarina but I'm still searching for the Prelude . . . [Found it!] . . . I found this minuet in an old atlas that noted it as having ancient magic powers. Nothing has happened when I played or sang it though . . . I KNOW the Ocarina is special and is linked to the Song of Time. Maybe only certain instruments? _

A bit below, scrawled in the darkest ink as if in a hurry was:  _ I think there's more music! _

Impa couldn't believe the young princess had done so much research. Nightmare visions had plagued Zelda for a good six months before Ganondorf's first appearance, but Impa hadn't thought she'd acted on any of them until the dark man from the desert arrived.

Impa could remember vividly the day he arrived. She'd been angry because Zelda had slipped out when she should have been with the royal tailor and Impa was searching for her. She'd spotted her slipping into the library and followed—lecture already forming. But when she entered the room and called Zelda's name the princess had such fear in her eyes that instead Impa ran to her, senses on edge trying to make out a danger. The princess's hands were shaking and a cold sweat covered her face as she fell onto Impa's shoulder.

"That man! He is the dark cloud in my vision, he is the evil that I've seen!"

It had taken a few minutes for Impa to get sense out of the frantic nine year old princess, but when she did the princess's fear had calmed to a resolve beyond her years. Impa had believed Zelda's visions, but they had never manifested physically. After that, Zelda had a sense of haste about her and frustration when no one but Impa took her seriously. 

Impa wondered how she hadn't guessed Zelda made such preparations.  _ Probably because you didn't want her to need such foresight, _ Impa thought bitterly. The princess shouldn't have had the weight of such knowledge on her young shoulders. Impa should have done this, she knew the signs—Zelda had told her. But she had only focused on Zelda's physical safety leaving any care of Hyrule on her young charge. And now . . . Impa turned to look at Sheik.

He was frantically humming the two music pieces to himself and muttering the prophecy. His hair falling in front of his red eyes. Impa knew she should also try to memorize the information, knowing they would destroy it before they left. Any piece of information Ganondorf might have missed needed to stay that way. But kneeling here in the Hyrule Library, memories of Zelda haunted her, the failure to keep the princess safe weighing heavily on her shoulders. 

Sheik had grown up in Zelda's place and Impa knew there was little left she could teach him. He had grown beyond her realm of knowledge and she couldn't keep up with his rate of learning. Whether it was Zelda's doing or Hylia's, Sheik learned quickly and seemed to suddenly know things he shouldn't.

A bird glanced against the window and the rattle broke the silence, interrupting Impa's thoughts. With a rush of adrenaline, Impa realized it wasn't silence at all. There was a murmur of harsh voices outside the door. Sheik and Impa began destroying the paper, pouring water on it and twisting it into pulp. Sheik shoved the pulpy ball into a pocket in his tabard and, frightened, looked to Impa.

Impa was cursing herself. She never should have been distracted, they were in the Dark King's castle! She'd never let her mind's wandering get the better of her before. Doubt and failure worked at her, slowing her reflexes. She realized too late that it wasn't natural. Her mind clouded and a sense of doom fell on her, an insidious magic that could only have one source. She saw Sheik back up to the wall in the corner of her eye. Ganondorf knew someone was in his castle uninvited. He was coming.


	17. The Minuet

Sheik's head hurt. The headache had started when Impa was retrieving the papers from the wooden owl. He'd ignored it while desperately trying to memorize the papers' contents. As they destroyed Zelda's finding, his headache became more than a nuisance. The pain pulsed behind his eyeballs and at his temples, but was nothing next to the nervous lump in his stomach as he watched Impa stare calculatingly at the library door. 

That door was their only way out and Sheik could hear the scuffing of boots outside it. No doubt someone knew they were inside and were trying to stay quiet so they could ambush the intruders at the door. Was there any other way out? There were windows, but the library was several flights up. Sheik touched the harp strapped to his back. He never should have brought it! It would be his fault that one of the last Sheikah relics fell into Ganondorf's hands. 

_ Of course, _ he thought bitterly,  _ there would be no Sheikah left to care if it was safe or not. _ He’d felt the need to keep it with him when they'd left, and Impa had not objected when he'd strapped it, padded and quieted, onto his back.

He looked to his teacher now awaiting orders. Surprisingly, Impa's mask was gone and her face was pale with fear. However, her darting eyes were a sign of her calculating the situation rather than succumbing to that fear. Sheik waited for Impa to give him a signed order.

She did.  _ Ganondorf. Run. _

Impa pointed to the window and then drew her short blade. Sheik looked down through the window. There was a small lip, not big, but enough to edge across to the next window. He kicked the window and it flew open with a crash. It didn't matter,  _ He  _ already knew they were here. 

Sheik edged out quickly hugging the wall, grateful for his soft boots that let him feel the ledge with his toes. He glanced down at the edge of an open window beneath him. The library door slammed open and he heard the sound of steel against steel. Deciding it was worth the risk, Sheik dropped off the ledge, catching it again with his fingers and using it to swing himself into the room below. It was empty save a few keese which flew out at his arrival, one of their leathery clawed wings cutting his cheek. He had to get out of the castle. He glanced out the window again but the eroded edge and the spikes of the twisted castle took away any hope of jumping to a lower rooftop.

_ Get out. Get out. Get out. _

Sheik couldn't think about Impa or Ganondorf. Impa had trained him to stay focused on the task at hand, so he sprinted toward the door. As he touched the handle, the door fell on him. He flew back, winded and bruised, and watched open-mouthed as the door pulled itself back up like wooden jelly and became once more an unassuming door, some sort of magical trap. Sheik's head had hit the floor hard when he'd fallen and it hadn't helped his headache at all. He tried to think of another way out and subconsciously reached back to touch the harp. The headache faded a bit.

Without a plan, he pulled the harp out of its case and his hands went to the proper places. The headache was almost gone. Was there some Sheikah power in the harp? He always knew it was special and had felt a connection to it that he attributed to his Sheikah blood, but there was a difference between Holy and Magic . . . or so he'd thought. His mind turned to the pulpy mess in his pocket, Zelda had theorized about special instruments, maybe . . . 

There was a bang from upstairs and Sheik shook his head. Now was not the time. But even as he lowered the harp he heard a cry of pain. It was wordless and ended much too quickly. He could feel a strange pressure pushing downward and knew it was Impa who'd cried out, guilt and terror wormed in his stomach, the emotions unnaturally strong. He clutched the harp closer and on instinct plucked out the notes of the Minuet. It had been easier to read and so came clearly to his mind first. He began to pick out the notes on the harp.

The song began softly at his fingers, then it rose through his body until green light seemed to encompass him. He felt his body—no he couldn't feel his body—he felt his self rise up and fly out the window. The castle grew small so fast and then there was the smell of trees and he could feel wet leaves and grass as water seeped into his clothes as he lay on the ground, head whirling. He could feel his body on the ground, but his eyes could only see one thing. His last view of the castle. The back of a tall broad man, turned away from the window, cloaked in red and black holding a bloodied sword--Impa's sword. Sheik closed his eyes and let himself sleep.


	18. Hey, Mister

"Hey, mister! Are you okay?"

Sheik felt a small hand prodding his side and groaned. He sat up rubbing his eyes and felt some leaves fall off of his head and chest. He opened his eyes and saw . . . pink. He swatted at the winged pink ball of light and it angrily hit his head. There was a light laugh and he saw a small figure kneeling beside him. She looked like a child, but her eyes looked older and her features sharper. Her hair was as green as her tunic and the forest around them. She was holding his harp on her lap.

"Oh you're up. I'm glad. I'm Saria, what's your name?"

"Uh, Sheik." Sheik looked around him, he was definitely deep in a forest, but there was a large stone entranceway with a door to his left. He was under a low hanging tree that persisted in dropping leaves on his head, making Saria giggle. To his right was an opening in what looked like giant hedges, but wild and overgrown. "Where am I?"

Saria's smile faded and she looked very serious, "You're in front of the Forest Temple. It can be a dangerous place, we shouldn't stay long. How did you get here?" Sheik looked down at the harp, bright gold against Saria's green lap. She stroked it, tracing the designs around the edge.

"I'm not sure." Sheik’s mind was awake now and little girl or not, he wasn't giving any of his dearly bought information out. His mind was working frantically trying to piece things together. Forest, temple, song, harp, fairy, Zelda. It all worked together somehow, but everything kept swirling back to that massive hand clutching Impa's short bloodied sword.

He felt tears come to his eyes and tried to hold them back. Impa was everything he had. She had warned him she wouldn't be around forever; even ordered him to leave her and flee if the mission went south. But he still had never been able to imagine her gone. He was the last. The last Sheikah. No one in the world knew who or what he was anymore. He felt the weight he always saw on Impa's shoulders. 

Even as hot tears kept falling, wiped away by tiny delicate hands, he felt his heart chill and resolve form. He was a Sheikah, Impa's last pupil. Inheritor of Zelda's hope. He would keep going; an image of Impa's face, masked in calm resolve, red eyes shining on her pale face. He reached up and took one of the tiny hands. 

"I need your help."


	19. The Great and Powerful Mido

As Saria led Sheik hand-in-hand through a massive green maze, she explained their surroundings. “I’m not sure how you got so deep into the forest,” Saria said. “That temple has always been my special place and I’ve never met anyone else there, Kokiri or otherwise.”

“Kokiri?”

“Yes, children of the Great Deku Tree. Sometimes we’re called fairy folk, at least that’s what the Deku Tree says . . . said.” She stopped for a moment. “We live in the forest together and were always watched over and protected by the Deku Tree until he died.”

A few tears rolled down from her large eyes and Sheik instinctively gave her hand a small squeeze, she wiped her eyes and smiled at him. “Ever since a great evil corrupted the Deku Tree, the forest hasn’t been a very safe place and I haven't been able to make it to my special place.” She laughed, “You’re lucky I made it today! Even though it’s dangerous, I try to visit often.”

“Why?”

She glanced at him and shrugged, “I just like it there.”

The maze ended and trees loomed over them and the faint winding music of the forest floated through the trees. Saria continued on without a pause. They twisted and turned through the underbrush and Sheik began to wonder if they were going in circles, he could’ve sworn he’d seen that log before. But despite his misgivings, Saria pulled him along confidently. 

She slowed and then fell back with a startled yelp as some deku babas, spined maws dripping, rose from the underbrush snapping forwards, their stems stretching as they attempted to reach the pair. Sheik pulled a deku nut from his pocket and tossed it at the plants. The flash froze them and he grabbed their stiffened stems, chopped through them with his hand. The fanged bulbs shriveled on the forest floor and Sheik turned to help Saria up. She gave him another smile as she brushed off her green tunic. 

“Thank you, more and more of those monsters are growing in the forest. They’ve even started growing at the edges of the village. Let’s hurry, we’re almost there.” She led him to a huge hollowed out log. Finally she let go of his hand and stopped. 

"My village is through here. You asked me to help you and I really want to.” She spun around with her hands behind her back, her cheeks dimpling when she smiled. “You remind me of a friend of mine. I don't know much outside of the forest, but we can talk at my place. I wish you could have met the Great Deku Tree, he always knew what to do . . . "

“Hey who's this loser?" The voice was whiny and came from another small, green-clad figure. Orange hair stuck out of his green cap. He had his small fists on his hips and his feet planted, blocking the log exit—or would have if Sheik hadn't been tall enough to step over him.

"Oh! Hello Mido, this is Sheik," Saria said. Sheik bowed respectfully, but Mido didn't even look at him.

"Clearly he's not one of us, so he can't come into our village. I, the great Mido, will not allow it."

"Sheik is my friend and I invited him to my house." Seeing Mido's eyes narrow, Saria added, "Would you like to come, too, Mido?"

Mido's scowl went away and he bit his lip, shuffling bashfully. "You mean it?"

"Of course, you're my friend too." Despite the obvious ploy to placate Mido, Saria was sincere.

“Okay then, I’ll come.”

Saria led the way into the village through the log entrance. Mido stuck his tongue out at Sheik as he walked between him and Saria.

In the village, Sheik could see other fairies flitting around, but there were also shadows where there shouldn't be, shifting shapes in the grass and the chatter of deku babas. When they reached her tree trunk home, Saria waved at a few Kokiri who poked their heads out of their own homes to stare at the tall intruder behind her. 

Stooping, Sheik entered the house and sat on the floor by the table while Mido and Saria sat on small wooden stools. Saria poured them some water and set out some small nutty cakes. Mido sat swinging his legs and smiling with pleasure, until he caught Sheik watching him, then he scowled again. "Saria, where'd you find this . . . guy?"

"In the forest, I offered to help him."

"With what?"

"I'm not sure yet." Saria sat down, next to Mido and across from Sheik.

Mido scratched his head and saw Saria looking expectantly at Sheik, and did the same . . . just less sweetly. Sheik, who was still taking in the Kokiri Village, tried to gather his thoughts.

"Oh, um well . . . " What exactly did he need? The rest of the music? More information on the sages? "I'm trying to defeat Ganondorf," Sheik finally said.

Mido was rubbing a spot on the table, "Who?"

"Ganondorf. The Dark King. Tyrant of Hyrule." Sheik was getting more and more flustered. Here he was trying to plot the downfall of the most powerful being in Hyrule while eating cake with two children!

Mido flicked a crumb at Sheik, "I don't know him. Hyrule Field isn't any place for Kokiri. It'd be stupid to leave the village. No  _ real  _ Kokiri would abandon his friends by leaving." The last part of Mido's response came out like an insult and he was pointedly  _ not _ looking at Saria.

Sheik watched the two, Mido seemed to have struck a nerve Sheik had no idea about. Saria glared at Mido. Sheik tried again, "So you really have no idea who Ganondorf is? He's the reason there are so many monsters around." Sheik actually flinched as Mido scowled at him.

"There's so many monsters about because the Great Deku Tree is dead! And it's all Link's fault. He went inside the Great Deku Tree and then it died. Then he left the village and never came back. He went to Hyrule Field and left trouble here. Even if he did get a fairy, there's no way he was a Kokiri, and neither are you, so you should leave too."

Now Sheik really knew he was missing something.

"Mido!" Saria said sharply. She was starting to tear up and Mido began to look guilty, but he bit his lip, too proud to apologize.

"It . . . wasn't Link's . . . fault," Saria spoke between deep breaths as she composed herself. Then she turned to Sheik, looking at him with those old eyes. Mido didn't have eyes like that. "Sheik's right, it's Ganondorf's."


	20. Who’s Link?

"I overheard the Deku Tree speak to Link before he died. He told him about the three goddesses and the divine relic, the Triforce,” Saria began. “He said that a wicked man with sorcerous powers was trying to get the Triforce. The Deku Tree's dying wish was for Link to go to the castle and help the princess stop the desert man in black armor who had placed a curse on him. The Deku Tree entrusted the Kokiri Emerald to Link, and told Navi to watch over him. That's how I know that it’s because of Ganondorf that our Great Deku Tree is no more."

Question after question raced through Sheik's mind.  _ Link? Navi? What do these people have to do with Ganondorf? Are they still alive? Could they help me defeat him? _ Besides these questions, there was something about Saria's story that felt off. His Sheikah training knew she wasn't telling him something. "How'd you know this 'desert man with black armor' is Ganondorf?"

Saria blushed a bit. "Well . . . um . . . from you, actually. You and Impa."

Training kicking in, Sheik's face remained impassive. He waited, Saria would explain on her own.

"I've been watching you for a while."

_ The green figure he saw below the bridge!  _ Sheik put the pieces together, "How long?" 

Saria shrugged, "A while. The first time I saw you, you were watching the white haired woman—Impa, I found out later—when she stood on a cliff. You both looked so sad and I don't usually find people in the woods, so I was curious."

_ That was nearly four months ago. It's amazing neither Impa or I spotted her. Though I suppose she is one of the fairy folk, _ Sheik thought nervously, his confidence in his Sheikah abilities shaken by this small girl.  _ After all, _ he reasoned,  _ nothing in this forest is seen when it doesn't want to be. _

"You seemed really nice and you reminded me of Link,” Saria continued. “So I found myself coming back to watch. I'm sorry for not introducing myself sooner." She looked sheepish, so Sheik decided to move on.

"Who is this Link you two keep going on about?" Sheik asked.

Those green eyes grew sad again, but Mido, after Saria's revelation, stared into his cup instead of bristling at the name. Saria took a slow breath before explaining, "Link is my best friend. He left, like I told you, and hasn't come back yet. He hasn't even contacted me."

"How would he do that?" said Mido. The question was cautious, but honest.

"I gave him my ocarina when he left and taught him my song. If he played it, I would be able to speak to him."

Another magical song. Sheik decided he needed to meet this Link fellow.

Saria continued, "But he hasn't played it and it's been so long . . . "

"How long has it been exactly?" Sheik asked although he suspected he knew what her answer would be.

"I don't know. A long time though."

It seemed that the Kokiri had no sense of time; unsurprising considering how unchanging their woods were. However, it meant Sheik had no idea how long ago Link left. It could have been a week. Maybe even years? He thought hard; there had to be a way he could gauge the time.

"Wait, you said the Deku Tree sent Link to the Hyrulian Princess right?"

Saria nodded. "Yes, at Hyrule Castle."

"Your tree friend would only send Link if the princess would be there right? There's no way he could have wrong information?"

"The Great Deku Tree is never wrong!" Mido interjected, his normal superior tone returned.

"In that case . . . " Sheik ran his fingers through his hair, "Link has been gone for at least four years. The princess is dead."


	21. Link’s Quest

Sheik half expected the apparently immortal Kokiri to not understand death; however, when he announced Princess Zelda's own demise, Saria pressed her tiny hand to her mouth and Mido got very still. The Deku Tree had taught them death's pangs.

Mido stabbed a dark spot on the table, "Did Ganondorf do it?"

"Yes. Four years ago he killed the High King of Hyrule. The princess escaped but Ganondorf's assassins tracked her down and killed her. His evil has been spreading ever since. So this Link, he isn’t a Kokiri like you?"

Sheik couldn't imagine that an apparently wise being like the Deku Tree would send one of these tiny sheltered fairy people against such a great evil. But as soon as the question was out of his mouth, he remembered Mido's biting remarks from earlier and wished he hadn't asked. Mido shot a side glance at Saria, but rather than get upset, she sat up with what almost looked like pride.

"Whether he is a true Kokiri or not, Link had a fairy, the fairy sword, and the Kokiri Emerald. He is one of us and he left to protect us all."

That didn't really ease Sheik's concerns, and he struggled with how to reword the question, "But was he . . . um . . . small like you?"

"Yeah, but he was weird. He  _ grew _ . I was the tallest for a long time, and then Link was taller. I tried to tell everyone that he was different because he didn't even have a fairy, but no one would listen and . . . " Mido trailed off as he remembered whose house he was in.

Instead of getting angry, Saria continued for him, "Link was about Mido's height when he left. But don't let that fool you, Link is a strong fighter and the bravest boy I know."

Mido grunted at this, but she continued, "He destroyed the evil things that entered and grew in the Deku Tree all by himself."

Saria's fairy flew into her face, and she laughed. "Of course, sorry. Link had Navi with him too." Seeing Sheik's confusion she explained, "Navi is the fairy the Great Deku Tree sent to Link."

If Link was a Kokiri, there was no way he'd stand a chance against Ganondorf—unless these fairy folk had some secret power. If Link was a Hyrulean, then the Deku Tree sent a child to his death. Sheik couldn't understand it. 

Assuming Link didn't leave while the princess was an infant—or, Sheik thought with dismay, a whole different generation's princess—then he left four to eight years ago. That meant that if he aged, he'd be . . . about Sheik's age or a bit older. It probably wasn't important. Link was most likely dead, a child sent on a fool's quest by a talking tree. And yet . . . for some reason Sheik couldn't quite believe Link was dead, as logical as it was.

"The Deku Tree sent Link with an emerald?" He asked, trying to understand as much of the story as possible.

"Yes the Kokiri Emerald, a sacred jewel entrusted to the Deku Tree. It sounded like the princess needed it. Ganondorf wanted it, so he killed the Deku Tree."

Sheik sat quietly, trying to think of why Ganondorf would need a mythical stone. There hadn't been any mention of gems in Zelda's notes. Engrossed in thought, he almost didn’t feel when Saria lightly tapped his arm."It's late, we can talk more in the morning."

Sheik nodded and persuaded Saria that he'd be fine outside, her house wasn't large enough to accommodate him comfortably. As he lay down in the grass staring up at the dark green leaves, illuminated by sparkling fairy lights, he wondered how late it was. He couldn’t tell in the woods but he must've been unconscious for a long time. He chuckled bitterly, it hadn't even been twenty-four hours since he had last left these woods and he was already back. He covered his eyes with his arm trying not to think about the mission . . . about Impa. Tears still leaked out, running down below his ears and watering the dark earth of the forest.


	22. Memories

Fire. Sheik coughed, choking on smoke. Everything was dark, and the soot-filled air stung his eyes. The smell of burning hair assaulted him, and he rolled on the floor to put himself out. He looked around for an escape from the burning building he was in. There! The window above Impa's room! But the ladder upwards was already ablaze. He made his way toward it anyway, crouching under the black cloud. 

He was beginning to feel light headed as the flames ate up all the oxygen. Before he made it to the ladder, he collapsed. Impa's house was falling down around him; he knew he was going to die. A piece of roof fell on his coughing body and it pushed the last remnants of air out of him. He gasped, but received nothing but smoke and ash. He woke up still coughing.

The forest air was cool, and Sheik, covered in sweat, shivered as he calmed his breathing. The nightmare had seemed so real, like the others with the village and the girl. There was no way he was going back to sleep, so instead he got up and wandered about the Kokiri village. It was easy for him to stealthily avoid the monsters, even the deku shrubs remained undisturbed, rustling quietly in the midst of their own dreams. 

Despite the sense of gloom, the village was beautiful, fairy lights flickering about adding pink and blue to the green glow that illuminated the short stump-like houses of the Kokiri. Sheik managed a smile as he effortlessly stepped over some small fences that would have stood up to Mido's shoulder.

"I didn't know . . . you left without saying anything . . . how was I supposed to . . . " It was Mido's voice. 

Sheik followed it until he approached a tall tree with a house carved into it. There was a wooden ladder descending from the house to the forest floor. At the foot of the ladder was Mido. He seemed to be talking to the house, as there was no one else around. Sheik watched from the shadows.

"Saria told me that you tried to save the Deku Tree; that you destroyed the thing that was inside him. So I guess I owe you an apology . . . I just . . . wish you were here so I could tell you." Mido kicked the grass and was silent for a moment before continuing in a more Mido-like tone, "Betcha couldn't have done it if I hadn't made you get that sword and shield huh? You always manage to get your way and I never could stop you. But listen . . . Saria misses you a lot . . . we all do. So hurry up and come back. You still have to return that sword you know! So come back, you loser . . . "

Mido wiped his face with his sleeve and gave the tree a half-hearted kick. Then he stuck his hands in his pockets and walked back to the village.

Sheik approached the house. He leaned down and saw a picture scrawled into the trunk. It was a small figure with a sword and shield fighting some large monster. He ran his hand over the image, remembering the many like it he drew as a child, dreaming of adventures while Impa was away at the castle with the princess.

With a quiet sigh, Sheik stood up and turned his attention to the ladder. He nimbly climbed up and entered what he rightly guessed was Link's home.

It was a one room home, round with tree rings rippling to the center where a short table stood. Against the far wall was a bed, blankets crumpled and half off, like Link had fallen off. Sheik sat on the table looking at the tiny bed. This . . . connection he felt with a boy he'd never met, and who was probably dead, was strange and uncomfortable. As often happened when he felt uncomfortable, Sheik found himself pulling the harp from its case and holding it. His fingers tracing the delicate curves and brushing the taut strings. He began to play some simple melodies, letting the surprisingly good acoustics of the house envelop him in music.

He leaned on the center table. He couldn't get the dream out of his head. It was the first time he'd 'died' in a dream. Usually it was just panic and fear, and that mysterious girl.

Sheik's fingers began to play the tune the girl had taught him, and he felt his mind clear.

_ “I'm so sorry, Sheik.” _

Sheik stopped playing and spun around. There was no one in the house but him.

_ “Keep playing . . .”  _ The voice was fainter now.

Music filled the circular room once more and Sheik felt hope rise up in his chest. He had forgotten that the girl had told him how to speak with her. He had to laugh at himself; this product of his own mind making him feel less lonely. But still, it was like rediscovering an old friend.

_ “Impa's sacrifice will not be in vain. I know you feel lost, but you have to move quickly. You have much work to do. You have to find the sages before Ganondorf does. You have to prepare the way for the Hero of Time. I cannot always help you, it's too dangerous, but there is another who can guide you. He'll find you in Kakariko at the Tomb of the Royal Family.” _

"Who are you?" Sheik asked the empty room.

_ “I . . . Sheik you must go to Kakariko quickly. It's not a dream. It's a vision. They need you.” _

Even though his fingers still ran over the harp strings, the song faded.

"That was a beautiful melody," Saria said as she walked up behind Sheik and jumped on to the table to sit next to him. "I couldn't sleep either,” she continued. “Too many memories." Saria's voice was filled with emotion, but when Sheik looked down at her her face was calm.

"I told you before that you remind me of Link. He was always moving; needing something more. He was so different from the rest of the Kokiri, like he contained something bigger than him. The others, except Mido, didn't care. They aren't bothered by things, that is our way. Time doesn't mean anything to this forest or its inhabitants. But . . . it means something to me."

Saria stared at her hands resting in her lap. Little palms with no lines zigzagging across them like Sheik had. He reached over and held them, covering her small green toned hands with his golden ones. She looked up at him with her large blue eyes.

"I'm different from the other Kokiri,” Saria said. “I don't know why, but I remember things in ways they don't. Maybe . . . maybe that's why I liked Link so much. Around him things changed, Time passed and memories stayed. Sometimes I felt like he did; like there's something inside me, some voice trying to tell me something important. But I can't hear it clearly. When I'm at my special place it's a little clearer; it makes the urgent feeling stronger.”

Saria folded her hands before she continued. "I wish Link were here, I wish I had gone with him. I knew he was leaving—even met him on his way. But I couldn't leave the forest. It's my home in a way I know it never was for Link. I never said anything because I knew it'd hurt him, but I always knew he's not one of us. Unlike everyone else, I remember when the Deku Tree brought him to us. He was so small, he didn't talk or walk at first. You . . . you said that he'd been gone a long time. If he came back now would I recognize him? Would he be different?"

Sheik slipped off the table and knelt in front of Saria, red eyes locked on her watery blue. 

"He would be bigger, like me, but that doesn't mean he'd be different,” Sheik said as he held her hands in his. “People outside the forest change all the time, but memories never do. I remember my home even though I have not been there for many years. I love it and the people in it. And, like Link, the people there are not the same as me. My people are all gone and I am the last one left. But they are still preserved in memory. I remember Impa and my home in Kakariko and those memories won't change. If Link comes back, he will still be your friend even if time has changed him."

Sheik wiped a small tear off Saria’s face. The Kokiri girl smiled, "You asked for my help, and I promised it to you, but I think you have helped me more than I can ever repay. When I found you in the forest I was following an odd song. When we met it faded. That song is still echoing inside me, changing me even more.”

Saria took her hands from his and held them over her heart.“But I think that's good . . . it feels like waking up. Somehow I know Link will be back and I know you will meet him. I may not have helped you much now, but if you ever need a place to rest, you're welcome here."

Slipping the harp back in its case, Sheik said, "Thank you Saria, for everything. I think I needed to learn about Link; I feel some connection to him that I don't quite understand. I've been having these strange dreams and they’ve made me realize that I need to go back to my village. I'm glad I met you, I don't think I would have been able to continue without your help. I couldn't bear to see Ganondorf destroy this forest. You've reminded me what home is and what it feels like to be home . . . if only for a little while. Goodbye, Saria. I promise you I'll be back, though, and if I find Link I will tell him his friends are waiting for him."

Sheik offered his hand, and Saria took it, hopping off the table. Then she turned towards the door, "Come on, I'll lead you to the bridge to Hyrule."


	23. Leaving Again

It was light out when Sheik emerged from the Lost Woods. After his talk with Saria, the two had made their way through the winding paths until she left him by the log tunnel that led to the outskirts of the forest. They had walked for a good while, but Sheik hadn't thought it was through daybreak—and he certainly didn't feel like he'd had a full night's rest. Shaking his head in accepting confusion, Sheik began setting up a small camp at the forest edge. After all the trouble Impa and him had gone through to cross the field secretly, he certainly wasn't going to set out at midday now. Stifling a yawn, Sheik crawled into the tiny hidden lean-to he'd constructed, and closed his eyes.

The village was dark and quiet. Then flames began to lick the sky, and Sheik walked through the village as buildings fell and people ran. Strangely, everything was silent. The villagers' mouths opened, but no screams emerged. Buildings fell without a crash and even the fire was soundless. Filled with dream-induced purpose, Sheik strode through the village and to the graveyard. The light from the fires were behind him and did nothing to illuminate the graveyard; Sheik couldn't see past the first few headstones. He walked past Dampé's hut and the fence that surrounded the graves, beginning to make out the shape of the Royal Family Tomb. Stopping suddenly, he realized there was something else there. Perched atop the monument stone, a massive shape swayed. Sheik squinted, trying to make out details in the darkness.

" _ Nehehehehe _ ."

The tell-tale sound of poe laughter jolted Sheik awake. The sun had set, and there was a floating lantern twenty feet from the edge of the forest. From his camp, Sheik had a straight shot, and he reached into his pack to find a weapon to throw. He kept his eyes fixed ahead, not wanting to lose sight of the lantern's path while it was visible. His fingers curled around a long metal needle. 

It was an assassin's tool, easily hidden and hard to spot when thrown. Sheik was quite talented with thrown weapons, but learned this particular one on his own, not wanting Impa to have to handle the weapon that robbed her of her voice. Sheik moved slowly and silently in order to give his arm room to move. Then the needle was in the air, glinting for a millisecond in the moonlight. It struck above and to the left of the lantern, precisely at the center of the poe, which appeared with a shriek before dissolving into a face-like flame.

Sheik smiled, glad to see his training was still effective. He didn’t often have the chance to practice on a real enemy. The occasional deku baba, skulltula, or poe attack was the only real action Sheik had gotten while training with Impa.

With quick efficiency, Sheik scattered his camp and hid any traces of his stay. Then he was off, running over the grass and towards the river.

It felt fantastic. To run and run, pushing his body to its limit. Running until his thoughts couldn't keep up with him. He almost regretted having to stop as he reached the banks of the Zora River. He could see the stairs to Kakariko on the other side. 

The bridge wasn’t too far downstream, but instead of heading for it, Sheik backed up. Impa would've scolded him for being reckless, but Sheik didn't care; with another short run, he leapt from one bank and landed in a neat roll on the other. It was quiet, quick, and well executed. Sheik was quite proud of himself. He enjoyed the adrenaline that was coursing through him, but as he climbed the stairs, he slowed down. He’d not forgotten to check for unwanted observers before his jump, but still kept glancing over his shoulder as he climbed quietly up the wide white steps.

When he reached the turn that would bring Kakariko into view, he paused. There was no smell of smoke in the air, and the night was quiet save the sound of crickets and the soft rush of the river. Still, Sheik stopped. He had not been here for . . . four years? Five? Would there even be a village there? Or was he too late and Ganondorf had destroyed it. 

Either way, he had to get to the cemetery. Taking a deep breath and raising his white Sheikah collar over his lower face, he rounded the corner.


	24. The Oath

The village was still there. Familiar buildings stood tall and dark. Cuccos lay sleeping in the grass scattered about, their quiet clucking mingling with the crickets’ chirps. The only sign of Hyrulian life was an unfamiliar man passed out beneath a tree, bottle lying in his limp fingers. Sheik could see his chest rising and falling. No death, no fire. Sheik walked past the man. 

There was a figure standing on the watchtower, but Sheik knew exactly where to go to avoid detection from anyone up there. Moving beyond the tower, Sheik passed the construction site wondering that it had not progressed at all in four years, and then towards the path to the graveyard. He paused, glancing at Impa's house, tempted to go inside his childhood home. However, the window glowed with candlelight and he didn't want to face any of the villagers yet. There would be time later; he needed to get to the graveyard and see if the voice in his head was right about an ally awaiting him there.

Going up the path to the graveyard for the first time in four years was an unsettling experience. As a kid, Sheik had often been too scared to come up here. Finally, after some of the rich kids in the village had mocked him, he had gone on a night like this one. Dampé was out, waiting for a contestant for his 'Heart-pounding Gravedigging Tour'; but he never let kids play, so Sheik had slipped past him. After reaching the Royal Tomb and back in the dead of night, Sheik conquered his fear of the graveyard that Dampé's stories of ReDeads had instilled in him. 

Sheik should never have believed the graveyard to be dangerous. Kakariko was, after all, originally a Sheikah village, and Sheik felt a strange sense of belonging in the town’s older sections. And there was nothing older than the graveyard.

That sense of belonging returned even after his four year absence. Confidently he stepped past the smaller headstones. As he approached the Royal Tomb, he half-expected to see the large shape atop it. But there was no one. He traced his hand over the Hyrulian Crest on the tombstone, noticing it's similarity to the carvings on his harp. He pulled it out and, not knowing what else to do, played the song the girl had taught him.

He was only a few measures in when a loud hooting startled him. A massive owl flew down at him and Sheik leapt back as it landed on the tombstone. The shape from his dream.

"Hoo-hoo. Hello there, young Sheikah. I've been waiting for you. I am Kaepora Gaebora."

Sheik was glad his collar covered his expression, because it took him a while to realize his mouth was hanging open. He didn't know exactly what he'd expected, but it certainly hadn't been an enormous talking owl.

"Uhh . . . " Sheik started until Kaepora Gaebora's head rotated clockwise a full 180 degrees, the markings on his chin giving the rotated head a different face. The action didn't help the stunned boy.

"Would you like me to repeat myself?" the owl asked. Sheik shook his head slowly, still trying to process Kaepora Gaebora, "Alright then,” Kaepora Gaebora continued. “It is my understanding that you wish to find the sages. Is that right?"

Sheik composed himself and managed to reply, "Yes, that's right. I was told that I would meet someone here who could guide me. Do you know where I can find the sages?"

"I do. Hoo hoo. And so do you. You spoke the prophecy once."

Nodding, Sheik rehearsed the prophecy he had spoken when he had first played the harp, "'When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be sages, who dwell in the five temples. One in deep forest, one in high mountain, one under a vast lake, one within the house of the dead, one in the goddess of sand. Together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world.' But I don't even know what a sage looks like or does exactly. All I know is the prophecy and a few magic songs. I need help."

The owl's eyes twinkled as his head flipped again, "Hoo hoot. That's what I'm here for. A sage is a normal person until they are awakened. They have a power locked inside them, waiting for the Hero of Time to release it. There are six sages."

Sheik’s eyebrows furrowed. "There are only five in the prophecy."

"That's because one of the sages never left the Sacred Realm,” the owl added. “Rauru, the Sage of Light, need not be called. He waits for his fellow sages and the Hero to be ready."

"The Hero of Time. Who  _ is _ that?” Sheik asked. “Where can I find them? I need their help to defeat Ganondorf before he grows too strong."

Kaepora Gaebora spread his left wing and straightened a few feathers with his beak before answering. "The arrival of the Hero of Time is the Chosen Time and the beginning of the Dark King's downfall. It is the event that will tip the scales. But until it happens all we can do is wait and prepare."

Sheik couldn't believe what he was hearing. Four years had already passed, the Royal Family killed, Castle Town massacred, Impa dead . . . what good would waiting do? Only more death would come of it. "How long must we wait for things to change? Why did the Hero not come when Ganondorf first seized power?"

"He was too young, too ill prepared for the task,” Kaepora Gaebora hooted. “The Princess and the Hero set too many things in motion when they opened a door to the Sacred Realm. They were not ready for Ganondorf's treachery. It was simply too soon. Hoo. Too soon." 

Mind racing, Sheik tried to put the pieces together, "So the princess knew the Hero? They tried to defeat Ganondorf four years ago?"

"Yes. But it was not the Time. Ganondorf tricked them and the Hero was sent through Time."

"And the princess killed . . . " Realization hit Sheik and he pounded his fist into his palm.

"Of course!” Sheik exclaimed. “Link is the Hero of Time. That's why the Deku Tree sent him to the princess so young!" The wheels in Sheik's mind were racing as the pieces fell together. "Ganondorf went after the Kokiri Emerald—for some reason—and when the Deku Tree realized the Hero of Time’s destiny, he sent him to the princess. But they were both only children, so something went wrong and Ganondorf got the upper hand. It's a miracle Link survived at all. So when he returns, he can work with the sages and defeat Ganondorf."

Sheik scratched his forehead. Link was the Goddesses' chosen Hero, then he must be coming back. However at the current rate, Sheik feared there would be no Hyrule to save when he returned. There had to be something he could do to help the prophecy move along.

"When Link comes back he has to gather the sages, correct?" Sheik asked.

"Hoo. Yes, from all corners of Hyrule."

"And they are just normal people until awakened?"

"Correct. They might have some notion of greater purpose, but they do not realize their destiny."

"Finding them could take years,” Sheik lamented. “Zelda couldn't find anything much about the sages in the months she looked and she was the princess, trained in Hyrulian history and lore. Do you think I could find them? Would you help me?"

It almost seemed like the owl smiled. Like this was what he'd wanted Sheik to realize all along.

"Hoo hoot. I will tell you all I can about the sages, but what you know must never fall into the wrong hands. If Ganondorf knew of the prophecy, he would search everywhere for them, never stopping until he destroyed them. They have been his undoing before.”

Sheik grinned under his collar. They could really do it. He hung on every word as Kaepora Gaebora continued. “The sages have been servants to the Goddesses and the royal family for generations. There are six sages: Light, Forest, Water, Fire, Shadow, and Spirit. Each sage has a temple sacred to their element. Legend says each also had a song."

Sheik ran his fingers over his harp strings again, a tinkling of random notes. Zelda had been right about the link between song and sage. "The songs transport you to the temples right?"

"Hoo hoot. Yes indeed, you have been to one?"

Brows furrowing, Sheik thought about when he had played the Minuet of the Forest The overgrown entrance in the forest where Saria had found him was certainly grand and old enough to be a sage's temple. If that was the Forest Temple . . . 

_ Of course! _ Sheik's hands flew to his head and then gestured at Kaepora Gaebora frantically as he sputtered his discovery. "Goddess Hylia! I think I found one! I think Saria is the Sage of the Forest."

It made sense. Her feelings of purpose, the aloofness she felt next to the other Kokiri. Even her interest with Link all pointed to Saria being the Sage of the Forest. She had even said the temple called to her. 

Sheik had to sit down on a headstone, he was so excited. He finally had something! A weapon, a vital piece of knowledge that could bring the Dark King down. It was beyond theory and speculation; beyond dreams and prophecies. He  _ knew _ Saria was the sage. Now when Link returned, he and Saria would be reunited and she could awaken as the Sage of the Forest.  _ One down, four to go. _

"Hoo hoot. Well, it seems you are more than up to the task,” the owl hooted. “Hoo. Young Sheik, you must find the sages and do your best to slow down Ganondorf's rise in power until Link's return."

Kaepora Gaebora's statement filled Sheik with a renewed sense of purpose. The miasma of despair finally clearing. He may be young, but he was a Sheikah. Sheik looked at the Hyrulian crest on the Tomb and knelt in front of it.

"I swear as the last Sheikah, that I will do everything that must be done to fulfill the prophecy. That I will stop at nothing to find the sages and further the fall of Ganondorf, the false king. With my life, my honor, and the Sheikah name, I make this oath." The owl spread his massive wings, stretching nearly twelve feet across. Then he placed one on Sheik's shoulder.

"I witness and accept your oath by my true name: Rauru, Sage of Light." Sheik looked up at Kaepora Gaebora but could only see light. The form of an old man in yellow robes flashed before him before the owl flew up into the sky.

"There are many dangers ahead, Sheik,” the owl said as he slowly flew higher. “But remember, you must stay alive to bring Link to the sages. I cannot come outside the Sacred Realm often, but when you are in need, look to the sky."

Sheik held his hair out of his face and watched the owl's wings beat the air, disappearing into the starry night.

Then Sheik was alone. 

He stood, brushing dirt off his knees. He touched the headstone lightly. "For you, princess." He glanced up. Above the tomb was a fenced ledge. Sheik knew there was a dark opening on that ledge. It was the entrance to a place sacred to the Sheikah people: The Shadow Temple. He had never yet been inside, having not reached Sheikah adulthood before leaving Kakariko. He placed a straightened palm against the Sheikah eye on his tabard in salute. "And for you, Impa."


	25. Records

Sheik took a deep breath before turning the knob and pushing open the wooden door. Impa's house had always been a bit of a refuge for various individuals. Sheik had never minded, he loved seeing people from outside Kakariko and hearing their stories. However, it also meant that he had no idea who would be inside. What had strangers done to Impa's home after four years?

To his relief, the room looked the same as he remembered. Bookshelves still lined one wall, maps and notes pinned up on the others. Even the cow still chewed sullenly in its cage. The difference, of course, were the two brightly dressed men, one in red and one in blue, snoring softly. The one in red slept on a bedroll quite comfortably, while the one in blue snored on a chair, head resting on a table strewn with playing cards.

Silently, Sheik ascended to the balcony level. The bed up there was unoccupied. Sheik shrugged off his pack by the bed and looked down at the house once more. It seemed the respect for Impa's home remained; no visitor had disturbed the shelves or chests. The Sheikah eye still stared from its place on the wall, a constant reminder of whom this house belonged to. Sheik laid down, but he wasn't tired and Kaepora Gaebora's words still circled his mind. Something else bothered him. The Shadow Temple.

At the age of thirteen, Sheikah youth received a rite of passage in the temple. Obviously, Sheik had been unable to since he and Impa were hiding far from Kakariko. The exact rites weren't common knowledge and it had been Impa's responsibility to perform them to Sheik. But, of course, now she was gone. However, Sheik was back in Kakariko, with access to his ancestral temple. Maybe there was still a way . . . 

Sheik abandoned any thought of sleep, got up, and went to one of the bookshelves. The books were mainly histories of Hyrule or Kakariko, and few dated back to before the Sheikah shared Kakariko. There were a couple of manuals on fighting forms and weaponry that Sheik set aside for later. Besides those, the bookshelves were no help.

Next he turned to the two chests, starting with the bigger one. It creaked slightly as he opened the lid, and the man in red shifted in his sleep but didn't wake up. Sheik was grateful, he wasn't ready to talk to any of the residents of Kakariko, new or old, quite yet. The chest was mostly clothes, some were his from younger days, others Impa's. He knew they'd be there, however underneath, were scrolls he’d never cared to open. 

Slowly, as to avoid loud rustling or damage to the paper, Sheik unrolled a few scrolls. They were family trees. Records of the Sheikah dating far back to before the Hyrule Civil War. Peeking at each scroll, he found they were all family records. The scrolls kept noisily trying to close, so Sheik didn't fight them and set them aside one by one. They were important Sheikah records, but not what he was looking for.

It took a good while to carefully unpack and repack the large chest. He looked at the smaller one, but remembered it only contained spare blankets and kitchenware. He'd been so sure there'd be some record of the Sheikah rite of passage amidst those old scrolls. He sat on his knees, surveying the house slowly. Any record that did exist was sacred, and even generous Impa, wouldn't leave them somewhere easily accessed. 

Sheik crept back to the large chest, running a hand over the old wood.  _ Then why leave the genealogical scrolls to be found? _ Sheik stared at the Sheikah eye engraved on the lid, a bit worn from age. He thought of what he knew about hiding important things, a method he'd been taught to keep things safe from robbers. After finding something of value, often a person will mark the place they found it as 'searched' and move on, giving no second thought. A good trick was to leave things of great value hidden in the same location as something of small value, albeit better hidden. 

The scrolls he'd found were valuable Sheikah information, but nothing Impa probably didn't have second copies of. They were informative and secretive, as most Sheikah records were, but not holy. After double checking that the two colorfully dressed men were still sound asleep, Sheik did a more painstaking check of the chest. He prodded all along it but found nothing strange; no secret knobs or hidden writing. Growing a bit impatient and frustrated, he grabbed the handles of the chest and, as slowly as possible, turned it on its side. 

Dust balls clung to the edge of the chest where the wood on the bottom was darker from less sun, as was the floor where it had sat. Sheik struggled silently for a moment to avoid sneezing in the small dust cloud he had created. After composing himself, he ran his fingers along the bottom of the chest, grinning when he felt a small engraving. 

It was about a half inch in diameter, a tiny Sheikah eye. It could easily be taken for the crafter's mark by someone unfamiliar with the symbol's origin. Sheik felt the hairline circle around the symbol, and took one of the fine throwing needles from their special sheath in his sleeve. With the needle carefully placed, Sheik flicked it and the symbol popped off. Sheik put his finger in the hole and gave the bottom of the chest a small tug. With a muffled  _ pop _ a section of the bottom fell off. Sheik caught it before it hit the ground, and glanced at the sleeping men again. Still dead to the world. He removed a carefully tied bundle of writings from the hidden compartment. On closer inspection, most of the writing was on vellum. Sheik held them gingerly, aware that these were the true Sheikah records. 

First were journal pages of cramped writing, Sheik made out words like 'war,' 'Interlopers’, and 'Great King of Hyrule’. Some of the pages had coppery stains on them and it took a sleepy murmur from the man in blue to convince Sheik to set it aside and not read the whole thing right there. 

A half burned parchment caught his eye; it was a music score. Only a few notes were left on the blackened and faded parchment. Sheik puzzled over other faded notes that covered what remained of the sheet. They appeared to be written in a different hand. Of the original ink, the title was the most clear, 'The Noctur—of Shad—.' Below the title, in the note-takers' writing, were three lines of text: 'Sun and Moon and Shadow', 'The Sun Song', and 'The Composer Brothers'.

_ The Composer Brothers . . . where have I heard of them? _ Sheik thought, wishing the sheet was intact. This had to be the song connected to the Sage of Shadow and the Shadow Temple. Hitting a dead end, Sheik returned to his original objective. 

The remaining vellum sheets contained writing about many rituals, including sealing rituals. One was recent and bore Impa's name. Sheik traced his fingers over the familiar writing, remembering the brave and sure Sheikah woman. It contained an account of her fight with a Phantom Shadow Beast, by the name of Bongo Bongo. There was a sketch of a fearsome red eye above two giant unattached hands. Along with the sealing ritual used, Impa wrote where she had sealed the beast—the Kakariko Well. 

At last, Sheik found an envelope with the words: 'The Temple of Shadows'. There was also a message inscribed on the front,

_ Contained within are the burdens and secrets of the Sheikah Tribe. To be carried by all those Sheikah who have reached the age of thirteen. To understand the Shadow of our people. Beware to those who look upon these writings outside of this duty. Some secrets are consuming and keep themselves. _

This is what he was looking for. This was the Sheikah, the Shadow Tribe's, legacy.


	26. The Composer Brothers

Sheik carefully replaced all the other papers in their hiding place before returning to the graveyard, envelope in hand. He crossed to the far end and looked up to where he knew the entrance to the Shadow Temple was. Tucking the envelope under the harp case on his back, Sheik began to climb.

There was a flash of red light, and Sheik felt a sharp burning pain in his arm. Then there was a flash of green, and his other arm burned. He dropped to the ground, patting the strange flames on his sleeves. The lights reappeared, but this time Sheik dodged the balls of ghostly flame and spotted where they came from.

In the manner of poes, the attackers themselves were invisible. Also in the manner of poes, they were only manifested by a floating lantern. However, unlike most poes a second object floated above the lanterns, some sort of thin, white stick.

"You missed, Flat!"

"You did too, Sharp!"

The two voices waved their sticks furiously, conjuring more fire. Sheik took cover behind the Royal Tombstone.

"Oh now that's just disrespectful!"

"Indeed! First the temple, now this! Really, do you have no sense of reverence?!"

In Sheik's experience, poes had never talked while attacking. Evilly laughed maybe, but never held indignant conversation.

"He's probably one of Ganondorf's goons! Let’s circle around and get him, brother!"

Sheik glanced to either side, trying to guess where they'd come from. There were identical graves on each side of the Royal Tomb. Seeing them, Sheik realized where he had heard of the Composer Brothers before. They were Sheikah brothers, murdered mysteriously around the time Sheik was born. The Kakariko Elders buried them by the Royal Tomb in honor. Sheik jumped out from behind the Tomb, hands raised.

"I'm not with Ganondorf! I'm Sheikah like you."

The fireballs still hurtled towards Sheik, who dodged, and, almost purely from reflex, retaliated with his needles. Each flew true, striking the invisible forms of the Composer Brother poes. They appeared briefly before becoming poe flames. Sheik cursed.

"Oh my, you killed me!" The voice came from the flickering flame.

"Me, too!"

"Brother, it does appear this young man is one of our tribe. Look at the eye he wears."

"Yes, indeed. Too bad we are compelled to attack anyone due to our ghostly nature."

"Yes, a shame, that is. Well, no harm done . . . except to us."

"Young man, what were you doing climbing up that wall?"

Sheik stared at the green and red flames for a moment. Then he shrugged, poes had never made sense to him anyway, "I was going to the temple to complete my rite of passage. There's no one else to guide me through it so I thought I'd do it solo."

The green flame, Flat, scoffed, "No one left! What do you mean, dear boy! What about the Impa girl who lives around here."

"She's dead. Ganondorf killed her." Sheik said softly.

"Oh my my, just like us, eh, Flat?"

"Indeed, cut down at the eve of our triumph."

Sheik remembered the burned paper, "What do you mean, what triumph?"

The red flame, Sharp, explained, "Ganondorf murdered us just as we completed our greatest work! Our legacy! Or . . . it would have been if we'd been alive to show it. You see, the royal family tasked my brother and I to look into the mystical powers surrounding their bloodline. We didn't get anything from trying to tap into the power of the Triforce . . . and as you know that sort of thing is taboo to us Sheikah anyway. So we turned to other pursuits. The magical properties of the Ocarina of Time!"

"Musical pursuit fitted us better anyway," Flat chimed in.

"Yes, indeed. We sought to understand and harness the powers of Time itself! We used our own Sheikah magics, combined with the powers of the Ocarina, to gain power over the Sun and Moon. We had just completed our masterpiece, a magic tune to rival those of old, when Ganondorf found us."

Sharp, ending his tale with that ominous note, letting Flat pick it up, "He was just the young Gerudo leader at that time. Barely arrived in Hyrule. But even then he was seeking the powers of the Ocarina. He demanded we give him our research, and when we refused he cut us down in a rage. No one knew he was the murderer until he had claimed the throne through more bloodshed. Although we died without revealing our secret to the villain, we also died without sharing it with anyone at all!"

"So tragic," Sharp sighed as Flat continued, "But we did record it somewhere. Somewhere only those loyal to the royal family can go. Yes, our masterpiece is in the Royal Family Tomb. Our triumph, a song to give the player power over Day and Night.  _ The Sun Song. _ "

Flat seemed to be expecting some reaction which Sheik failed to give, so after an awkward pause, Sharp added, "And so, even though we are doomed to haunt this place. We can rest in peace, as it were, knowing that at least one friend of the royal family knows our song."

"Wait, what did you say?" Sheik asked, "A friend of the royal family entered the Tomb? When? Who?"

"Oh a scrappy little boy in green who had the Ocarina and knew the Royal Tune,” said Sharp. “He reminded me of the dear little princess, so determined and brave he was."

Sheik shook his head in disbelief. Link has been trapped in Time for four years now and he still was ahead of Sheik. How did that kid manage to get so much done in so little time? Remembering Link made Sheik recall his own quest and the burned paper.

"Composer Brothers, you mentioned Sheikah magics? I think I found a fragment of your research. Do you by chance know the Nocturne of Shadow?"

The ghostly faces laughed haughtily, it was actually a bit eerie, and then Sharp answered, "My dear boy! Of course we do! Since you have no living Sheikah to help you through the rites, teaching you this, at least, would be our pleasure."

Sheik couldn't tell where the music was coming from, but it was there. An eerie tune that seemed to darken the already dark night.

When the nocturne faded, the poe flames were gone. Sheik took his harp out and repeated the music. Blackness gathered until he could see nothing, and then with the same teleportation that had returned him to the Lost Woods, he entered the Shadow Temple.


	27. The Shadow Temple

The room was wide and empty, save a circle of sixteen torches staggered over an intricate circle drawn on the floor. The circle was white and almost luminescent. Its complex pattern and runes surrounded Sheik’s once more corporeal feet and gave him a sense of foreboding and he quickly stepped out of it and towards the other feature of the room, a large stone door bearing the Sheikah eye. He retrieved the envelope from his back and undid the red thread that kept it shut. The first page’s title read 'Entering the Temple' and Sheik almost believed it would be that simple, until he saw that only a single cryptic line was written after that.

_ Sheikah blood cries from the eye and light turns darkness to shadow. _

Sheik would've had a harder time figuring out what to do if some past Sheikah hadn't dripped blood on the paper. Tucking the envelope under his arm again, Sheik walked towards the stone door and drew a kunai from the sheath on his leg. He placed the sharp point on the back of his forearm and cut a line into it. He touched the bleeding wound and then placed his now bloodied fingers on the Sheikah tear.

There was a slight rumble and all the torches suddenly lit, flames casting dancing shadows around the room. Sheik put pressure on the cut as the stone door shifted and descended into the floor. Behind it a dark hall drew back and turned right. Sheik entered and rounded the corner, he was met by a pit and a grinning wall. With ease, Sheik leapt over the pit. Now at a dead end, he returned to his envelope. It mentioned a Sheikah artifact called the Lens of Truth that revealed the tricks of the treacherous temple. However, since Sheik didn't have this artifact, he just relied on faith. The papers said this grinning wall was fake, and so holding his breath, Sheik walked through it.

His happiness at not hitting a stone wall was quickly quelled by the gloom of yet another large, circular chamber with more grinning walls. In the center was the statue of some large bird. A strange malicious aura radiated from the statue, it made Sheik’s mouth dry and his hands tremble. In the dead silence of the temple, there was suddenly noise. Soft sobbing, a scream, pleas for mercy . . . he could hear them through the various grinning walls. Sheik didn't understand; what connection did this evil place have to his people? Trying to ignore the sounds and his weak legs, he sat on the cold floor and read.

_ Before the Interlopers. Before the Massacre. Before Hyrule. Before Hylia. There was the Dark One.  _

_ The Forces of Creation and Destruction were young in this world and when the three goddesses left, Destruction ran rampant. The Dark One enslaved the Sheikah people. In Its name we fought those who stood against Evil. We killed others and ourselves. The Dark One demanded sacrifices and we obeyed. Whether Its claim that It was our creator were true or not, It was our master. This Temple was Its shrine.  _

_ For the Sheikah, there was only blood and darkness. Then Hylia. The chosen guardian of the goddesses' power saved her people and united the free races against the King of Destruction. As He was defeated, so were His servants. So was the Dark One. As our people emerged from the bloodshed we expected to join our Dark Master. But instead, Hylia saved us. She demanded no sacrifice, but when we begged for a purpose, she asked one thing of us. When her people, the Hylians, returned, that we would protect them.  _

_ And so we waited for them to return, and when they did, we were there. Hylia was reborn in mortal form and we swore to protect her. Though no longer steeped in darkness, we were still shadows. But Shadow and Darkness are not the same, for one requires Light to stand by. For that Light's sake, we do what has to be done. We are the spies, the warriors, and the assassins. We do what the Darkness does not expect, and what the Light does not understand. We've lived in the dark and can speak its tongue.  _

_ The spirits that haunt this place testify of our actions. We fulfill our oath to Hylia, never seeking for power or destruction, but protecting the Royal Family and their people with any means and to our last breath. We may never be understood. We may never be trusted. But that is our role. Young Sheikah, this is your birthright. Your destiny and your burden. This temple stands as a reminder of what we were and what we are. Our acts are graven in every room. Our history is long and bloody. Every shadow is dark, but every shadow needs light. That is the Sheikah. Until the End Days. _

Sheik felt the truth in his blood. He felt the dark rest around him, accepting him as its own kind. With a breath his steeled himself, accepting the words on the page, the words that were whispered in his ear in the dark. The voices also told him he should not stay. He was Shadow, not Darkness. 

It was his destiny not to be the Hero, but to be on the line between Light and Dark, guiding Hylia's chosen to their destiny. By Hylia's grace, one day the royal family would be reborn. Until that day, her Hero was Sheik's light, the only person to which he could fulfill his and his people’s oath. He would help Link fulfill the Goddess's role. He did not need to roam the dark halls of the temple to know what lie there. He had seen in Impa's eyes what she would do for her duty.

Sheik left the temple as the first rays of dawn touched the velvet sky.


	28. The Invasion

Sheik finally lay asleep in Impa’s house, the envelope carefully replaced, when the cuccos began to crow. It felt like he had barely closed his eyes when he woke to raucous laughter. Sheik blinked groggily at the rising sun through the window as the laughter continued.

"Bwahaha! Can you believe this guy? His turn to take the bed, and he sleeps at the table! Bwahaha!"

"Shut up! I got tired playing cards! Who are you even talking to anyway?"

"Bwahaha! He was playing cards and got tired! What an idiot!"

The smell of cooked eggs drifted up to Sheik's level, and his stomach lurched in hunger. Sheik sighed quietly, accepting that it was time to face the villagers. He turned to his things, satisfied that they were untouched. He slung his harp on his back and hid various weapons on his person, as he did every morning. Properly equipped, he descended the ladder. As he turned around, he saw the two men staring at him, mouths open. The man in a blue shirt had a pan of eggs in one hand. The other was in a frozen exaggerated state of laughter, which, after an awkward pause, he continued.

"Bwahaha! This guy misses his turn in bed and another fellow takes it!"

Sheik touched his hand to his torso in a Sheikah salute and bowed slightly, "My name is Sheik. I apologize for frightening you."

The man in blue waved a hand, and placed the pan on a trivet on the table. "Don't worry about it. This isn't our house anyway. Eggs?"

The man in red finished laughing, and, wiping the tears from his eyes, sat down and began serving himself some eggs. At the invitation, Sheik joined him. And without inquiry, the two men told their tale as Sheik ate his breakfast.

"Me and my brother used to live in Castle Town. After things went south, so did we. Well, southeast anyway. East? I don't know; I'm not a map maker." The two laughed. "Anyway, we fled to this village and have been crashing here on and off. Apparently it belongs to the leader of the village but no one’s seen her in years. The villagers told us we were welcome to stay here, as many visitors often did even when she was around. Real grateful we are! We would tell her so if we could, but—" 

The sound of screams interrupted the story.

Before the two men could react, Sheik was out the door. Whoever was on the watchtower was yelling and waving his arms, but Sheik couldn't hear what he was saying over the screaming villagers running towards the back of the village. Sheik made out hoof-beats, and turned to see the first lizalfos and Gerudo come into view. Smoke began to rise from houses nearest the entrance.

An arrow hit the watchman, and he fell off the tower. Sheik ran towards the fighting, taking a lizalfos down as he ran, two needles piercing the reptilian eyes. Leaping from the high ground Impa's house was on, he drew a pair of kunai and used them to block the sword of a Gerudo right before she could kill the red haired 'Cucco Lady.' Sheik yelled at her to run, but his voice died as he turned to his opponent. Behind the Gerudo warrior was a tall, armor-clad figure on a black horse.

Ganondorf had come to Kakariko.


	29. Fighting the Nightmare

The Gerudo nearly got the better of Sheik as he stared at the towering form of Ganondorf, who was watching the fray. But when her kick hit his shoulder, Sheik refocused. He used the kick’s momentum to roll to the side, avoiding the swipe of his assailant’s sword. Quick and efficient, Sheik moved into the Gerudo's space, pushing her sword aside with one kunai and using the other to reach her heart. She crumpled to the ground, and Sheik did a quick scan of the village. 

There were maybe ten Gerudos and half a dozen lizalfos. Most villagers were still in their houses, which Ganondorf's troops were either attempting to enter or setting ablaze. He threw a needle, and it struck a Gerudo through the throat as she tried to lay a burning torch to a home. Then he cut down another Gerudo who was moving to join the group trying to break into the nearest house. 

Another needle took down the lizalfos standing on the well, looking for fleeing villagers. As it fell off the well hissing, the eyes of the invading army turned to Sheik. The element of surprise gone, three Gerudo and a pair lizalfos came towards him. One of the lizalfos gave a reptilian scream and leapt eight feet forward, landing right in front of Sheik. He did a backflip as the scaly beast's sword swept towards him. Ducking forward, he moved in quick, using both kunai to slit its large green throat. 

The Gerudo were smarter; they circled him. The remaining lizalfos, seeing one of its kind cut down, hopped from side to side, waiting for an opening. Two of the Gerudo had spears, and they thrust them at Sheik as the circle narrowed. He dodged easily, but it made it more difficult to watch all three Gerudo. 

Right before the sword wielding Gerudo was in range, Sheik grabbed one of the prodding spears, pulling its wielder off-balance. He dropped to avoid the expected jab from behind, and snapped the point of the spear over his knee, throwing it into the other Gerudo spearwoman. The one with the sword came at him and he rolled, her sword slicing off the corner of his tabard. 

Now on his back, he threw dirt at the her face and rolled back up as the Gerudo whose spear he’d broken drew a curved dagger from her belt. A movement in the air alerted the trained Sheikah just in time, and he spun around, the Lizalfos's blade just grazing his arm. Blood reddened the cloth of his sleeve, but the wound didn't impede his movement. He shot a needle at the swordswoman which she easily deflected, but the momentary distraction was all Sheik needed to move up and plunge his kunai between her ribs. After dueling with Impa, it was amazing how slow these foes seemed.

Returning his attention to his remaining two attackers, Sheik feinted a swipe with his kunai toward the dagger-wielding Gerudo, while sending his second to last needle into her stomach. As she dropped her dagger in pain, he finished her with his own blade. He swept up the dagger, and sent it hurtling towards the Lizalfos, who dodged, allowing Sheik to move too close to leap at. 

Now one on one with an opponent who was both unsurprised and aware of his speed, Sheik relied on his skill with his blades. He countered the Lizalfos's quick strikes, and the two leapt towards and away from each other quickly. It was a frenzied dance.

And it was taking too long. At least one house was well ablaze, and the renewed screams of another house heralded its assailants’ successful invasion. Sheik needed to end this and save his people. 

He tossed both kunai at the lizalfos who deflected one while the other lodged itself in his shoulder. Without any weapons, the reptile didn't expect Sheik to move quickly towards him. Its forked tongue lolled out in shock as Sheik stuck his last needle in the lizard's chest, clear to the creature’s heart and then ripped it out in a burst of blood. Sheik only had time to retrieve the kunai in his foe’s shoulder before running towards the breached home.

A brave man stood in front of his wife and child, holding a wooden chair as a shield against the last three lizalfos, who made strange yelping cries as they neared their victims, tongues tasting the air. Sheik leapt onto the back of the first one, jabbing the kunai into its brain. He landed on his feet as the creature fell, and shoved its corpse into the next foe. The lizalfos slashed at the incoming corpse out of reflex, and Sheik's bloodied needle took it in the forehead. 

The man, seeing a chance, ran at the last monster with his chair. The lizalfos's sword knocked the chair aside and the man took a portion of the blow to his shoulder. But the distraction allowed Sheik to stab the reptile in the side and finish him. Sheik didn't check if the man was alive before racing outside again.

The smoke was growing and a Gerudo was dragging a woman out of a burning house by her hair. A large bearded man managed to knock aside the Gerudo, who dropped the woman. The Gerudo’s long red hair flipped through the air as she turned to the man with a look of disgust, brandishing her scimitar. The man surprised the Gerudo, and caught her arm as she swung her blade. 

He easily picked up the trim figure and tossed her against the house where she bounced off motionless. Unseen by the man, another Gerudo crept at him from behind, scimitar raised. Unable to reach her in time, Sheik threw his last weapon. The kunai stuck the Gerudo between the shoulder blades and she fell with a short scream.

Now back in the center of town, Sheik panted, the blood from his arm dripping off his empty hand. As he scanned the village for more foes, a shadow grew over him. A deep voice boomed from behind him, "You fight well, boy. Who are you?"

Sheik, his face as steely as his mentor’s, turned to face Ganondorf, fire in his eyes.

"I am Sheik, last of the Sheikah."


	30. The Arrangement

"Well, Sheikah, you have taken down my pawns. Would you face the king?"

Sheik's instinct told him this was a test rather than an actual challenge. He shifted into a centered stance and raised his hands, straight and poised to strike.

Ganondorf's laugh echoed unnaturally through the village. Sheik didn't break eye contact with the Dark King, but he could sense the remaining Gerudo gathering.

"You're brave, I'll give you that. So tell me, Sheikah, why do you fight?"

"This is a Sheikah Village and I will defend it."

"So I've seen." Ganondorf raised one hand and a ball of darkness grew in it, crackling with energy. "Would you die for this village?"

Sheik thought quickly. In truth, he believed he would. But he had a greater mission, and his oath bound him. Yet in the chaos and fear that his nightmare would come true, Sheik had risked his mission. He needed to survive this. But he also  _ had _ to save Kakariko. Ganondorf knew Sheik would die for this village; his choice had clearly already been made. Sheik stood in the shadow of death now. So why ask?

"Yes. It is all I have." The words were steady and cold, like the mask he wore. Inside, Sheik wondered why he'd said it. It was no longer the truth. But it was the reason he had jumped into combat. The reason he had taken his first lives. The reason he was about to die now.

"If I give you this village, what would you give me?" Ganondorf asked.

A sliver of hope entered Sheik's mind, but he tried to ignore it. What was Ganondorf playing at? What did he think Sheik had to offer? 

_ The Composer Brothers _ . Sheik was not the first Sheikah Ganondorf had asked this of. He knew the Sheikah had secrets, and he wanted them. Would he truly spare the village if Sheik gave him those secrets? 

Probably not. He would kill Sheik and the villagers once he had his information. Besides what would Sheik say? He doubted Ganondorf would know the value of the Nocturne. Sheik could not tell of the things he'd learned in the temple nor did he think Ganondorf would care, and the prophecy . . . 

Kaepora Gaebora's words returned to Sheik. If Ganondorf knew of the prophecy, he would never stop searching for the sages. Sheik couldn't give Ganondorf what he knew would be the only information of value. Ganondorf's resources were nigh unlimited, and even if Sheik escaped, there was no way Sheik would get to the sages before Ganondorf did. 

_ Unless . . .  _

A crazy plan sprung into Sheik's head, and with Ganondorf expecting an answer, Sheik threw all his hope into his scheme. "I would give you two things: information . . . and my service."

Ganondorf spun the energy ball and looked at it disinterestedly. But he was no Sheikah, and Sheik could tell he was intrigued. "Go on."

Sheik would have to play this just right. A perfect mix of steel and desperation. He spoke a mite quicker, enough that Ganondorf would pick up on his haste, but not enough to seem like he was spinning lies. "There is a Sheikah prophecy involving you. You and sages." The crackling ball flared up but Sheik didn't flinch.

_ Again, not too much, not too little. _ He had to get what he wanted without seeming to challenge Ganondorf. The die was cast. With a bit of honest concern visible in his eyes, and the knowing risk of turning away from the king, Sheik glanced towards the houses and fell to one knee.

"My lord . . . the houses."

Ganondorf paused, just long enough for his annoyance to show. But he did raise a hand towards the fire. The hand glowed purple, and when he clenched it into a fist, the fires died. At least Sheik had bought time. His nightmare might not come to be.

There was a loud  _ thump _ as Ganondorf dismounted. Sheik looked back up at the Dark King. His eyes seemed to glow red. He waved a hand at the Gerudo that Sheik sensed were behind him. There were quick steps and then screams. 

Sheik didn't dare turn around.

"Now tell me Sheik, last of the Sheikah, why I should spare this miserable village."

Ganondorf motioned for Sheik to turn. He stood and obeyed; when he looked behind him, he saw the remaining five Gerudo each holding a villager, daggers poised. The two men who were in Impa's home, the burly bearded man, the cucco lady, and an old man Sheik didn't recognize. These five were just a few of the people whose lives now depended on Sheik's plan.

"I warn you not to try my patience." Ganondorf's words dripped with threat.

Sheik calmly turned away from the hostages, and faced the towering figure once more. "Of course. There is a Sheikah prophecy passed down that foretells of your coming. It speaks of sages and a Hero of Time."

Sheik knew better than to recite the prophecy here in front of the villagers and Ganondorf's servants. If he were the Dark King, he wouldn't want this weakness known. But 'sages' and a 'Hero of Time' should be enough to let Ganondorf know he had a true prophecy. Or so Sheik hoped.

"Hmmm. And you, why would I want you in my service?"

Now was the time for pride. Now was the time to be the Shadow that Darkness cannot understand. Time to be a Sheikah. He tried to place himself back in the temple. Back in front of that statue, to echo the tone and voice of Sheikah past. He straightened his head tilted up to lock eyes with Ganondorf.

"Sheikah are Shadows, my lord, trained in the art of stealth, espionage, and combat. For years we served the royal family, doing their dark deeds while they sang of righteousness. Now, that family is dead, my people are dead, and I am a tool waiting to be wielded. My people were greatly wronged by the Hylians, yet despite this my ancestors remained loyal. They reaped what they sowed, and I believe it is time for a new arrangement."

The words tumbled from his lips, the lie mingled with truth. The pounding of Sheik’s heart behind the Sheikah eye he wore filled his ears. Sheik had faith in his training, but still thanked Hylia for his Sheikah garb that hid half his face.

Ganondorf's eyes bored in Sheik's. "I will consider your offer. Until I have made my decision, this village shall be spared." With a wave of his hand, the Gerudo released their prisoners, except the burly man. "Although . . . I must repay you for the loss of my Gerudo sisters."

With a grin, the Gerudo holding the man in question slit his throat. He fell with a gurgle and the cucco lady fainted, caught by the red-shirt man.

Sheik remained calm. He turned back to the Dark King, thinking of the screams in the temple. If he made it through this day, he knew he would have to witness many more horrors. 

"Take him to my castle." With that, Ganondorf remounted and with a piercing whinny from his black stallion, galloped away.

Two Gerudo stepped behind Sheik, and one prodded him with her sword, barely cutting into the skin between his shoulder blades, just enough to make him bleed. "Kneel, boy!"

Sheik obeyed, and she pushed his face into the dirt with her slippered foot. The other tied Sheik's hands behind his back, and placed a loop of rope around his neck. After a few revenge driven seconds of grinding Sheik into the dirt, the desert woman commanded him to stand. Bound and bloodied, Sheik left Kakariko Village and was dragged to the castle.


	31. Negotiations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PART THREE

To a passing Gerudo guard, or any magical observer, Sheik appeared a calm and patient prisoner in his cell.

However, internally he was doubting his plan. He would have to give the full prophecy to Ganondorf, and hope he would accept Sheik as a servant, as well. Then, Sheik could slow down Ganondorf from the inside, following Ganondorf's efforts to find the sages, and get to them first. 

It was a huge gamble, and Sheik was sure Kaepora Gaebora would not approve. But it was too late for regrets. All he could do was maintain his cover, and pray to Hylia that Ganondorf would accept his 'loyalty.'

Sheik shifted his weight; his wrists were shackled high on the stone wall of his cell, forcing him to stand, hands above his head. It had been hours since the Gerudos had locked him in the dungeons of the castle. If Ganondorf took his bait, then he would come in person. Sheik would give him the prophecy, and do whatever it took to convince his new master that he was a disillusioned Sheikah ready to be put back to work.

Could he do it, though? He was just a fourteen year old boy!  _ No, I am a full-fledged member of the Sheikah Tribe _ . Sheik's doubts were only quelled when he imagined Impa in his place. She would do it. She would take this ruse to the end of the earth if it meant victory against the man who had slaughtered her princess.

Heavy steps sounded on the stone corridor. Sheik shook the hair out of his eyes, and steeled himself. The dark shape of Ganondorf filled the small cell door, and a Gerudo guard unlocked it, letting the king in. He waved her away and she left, but not before shooting a disgusted look at Sheik.

"I have decided to go along with your little arrangement for now, Sheikah. Tell me of this prophecy, and choose your words carefully or they will be your last."

Sheik raised his head proudly, or as best he could, and gave Ganondorf the prophecy, "When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be sages, who dwell in the five temples. One in deep forest, one in high mountain, one under a vast lake, one within the house of the dead, one in the goddess of sand. Together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world."

It almost seemed like Ganondorf staggered as Sheik spoke the prophecy. But Sheik couldn't say for sure. The cell grew dark and the very air crackled with energy. Ganondorf slammed his fist into the cell wall, leaving a smoking hole in the six-inch thick stone. 

Then he began to laugh. It started as a guttural chuckle but rose into a roar, his red-maned head thrown back as his laughter rebounded in the small room. "For them to think I would be defeated so easily! The fools! There is no Hero and soon there will be no sages!"

Sheik was glad the shackles held him up because he wasn't sure his legs could support him. Pure power was radiating off the Dark King who turned back to Sheik. He grabbed him by his Sheikah collar, lifting him as high off the floor as the shackles would allow. Ganondorf's eyes were glowing in the dim cell and his hair seemed to turn to flames. Sheik could not hide all of the fear he felt faced with Ganondorf's godly power.

"And you, little Sheikah, you would serve me?"

"Yes, my lord." Sheik thanked Hylia that his voice didn't crack or waver.

Ganondorf lowered Sheik back to the floor. "We shall see."

He grabbed the shackles that bound Sheik and they disintegrated. The power and darkness faded and Sheik breathed, realizing too late that he was gasping. He composed himself, but not before Ganondorf gave a small amused grunt. With a wave, the king called his guard over.

"Take him to a room. I'll call for him later."

Without another look, Ganondorf left Sheik with the Gerudo guard. She was lithe and muscular, as all the Gerudo Sheik had seen were. Her red hair was split into three braids which joined together and continued to her knees. Her eyes narrowed, a mixture of annoyance and disgust. In her hand was a tall and very sharp halberd. 

With a harsh  _ 'tsk' _ , the guard gestured for Sheik to follow and began walking quickly down the hall. As he followed, Sheik appeared calm, his steps light and nearly silent. He re-adjusted his rumpled collar to cover his lower face once more, and remained forward facing. He tried his best to take everything in. The way they'd come from, the doors they passed, and the number of Gerudo. Information was Sheikah gold. 

All the while, the hidden Sheik, the fourteen year-old boy who wasn't sure what he’d gotten himself into, was just grateful he was still alive.


	32. Lay of the Land

The room the Gerudo guard finally brought Sheik to was surprisingly large. On the way, Sheik noticed that the number of Gerudo he and his guide passed had decreased. Also, most of them were going the opposite direction; it seemed his quarters were in a different place than the other troops’. He wasn't sure exactly what to make of his observation quite yet.

After a quick look at his room's furnishings, he guessed it used to belong to some court noble. With Castle Town full of ReDeads, Sheik figured Ganondorf needed less aristocrats to assist in governing. Most of Hyrule was pretty autonomous, although they followed the monarchy’s laws which stationed captains enforced. The large and bustling Castle Town was really the only place the royals governed directly. The other races that were technically under Hyrulian rule, the Gorons and Zoras, had their own leaders. Their relationship with the royal family was more of a political alliance than fealty. This was due to a general agreement of non-interference rather than any discontent in either party. Sheik wondered how the politics had changed since Ganondorf's coup.

"I suggest you stay here until called, boy!" the Gerudo guard spat through a scowl. 

Sheik's hitherto silent guide was watching him like a hawk, red lips curled with disgust. Noticing the amount of embroidery and jewels on her outfit (what little there was) and the large, impressive halberd in her hands, Sheik figured this Gerudo held a high station. He held his hand to his chest in Sheikah salute and gave her a slight bow. 

"My name is Sheik. I don't believe we've met."

"If we had, you'd be dead,” the woman sneered. "I am Captain Ruba and you will address me as Captain, if you have any reason to address me at all." Captain Ruba gave one more disdainful glance at Sheik before leaving him alone in his new room.

_ Captain Ruba. _ Sheik filed away the name. She hadn't seemed cowed at all by Ganondorf's presence, so she either met with him frequently or was very good at hiding fear. The way she handled her innately unwieldy weapon told Sheik she was quite capable of using it. It was also a weapon Sheik hadn't seen any of the other Gerudo with, so she may have trained with it especially. She clearly didn't trust or like him, either. As a Captain, she had to be familiar with losing men in combat, or women rather, so it can't have entirely been because Sheik had slain Gerudo at Kakariko. No, her dislike was stronger than that. It was more . . . disgust.

Sheik didn't know much about Gerudo culture other than that they were all women (besides Ganondorf) and that they were fierce desert warriors. The only other reason Sheik could figure for Captain Ruba hating him so much was that he was a boy. When she had called him so, the word had been spat out like a curse. Being hated by a large portion of Ganondorf's forces for his gender could prove to be a big problem. He added that to his growing list of challenges. Sheik wasn't naive enough to think Ganondorf was the only person he'd have to prove himself to.

The Captain had closed the door when she left, and Sheik gently tested it. _ Locked. _ It was expected; for now this room was just a fancier cell. Sheik searched the room, half-hoping his harp would be there. The Gerudos had confiscated it from him upon arrival at the castle. They had searched him for weapons too, but Sheik had used them all in the fight. They hadn't opened the case he had so carefully crafted for the harp, so he couldn’t be sure it had survived the battle. He felt sick at the idea of it being broken.

The room didn't hold his harp, but it did have a basin of water and a clean towel. Sheik removed his shirt and cleaned the cut on his arm. Then he scrubbed his shirt, covered with more blood than he'd expected. He knew most of it probably wasn't his own and he tried not to think too hard about that fact. If he was going to carry on with his plan, there was no doubt he would go into battle again. He had to accept that he would take lives. Still, as he watched his hands autonomously scrubbing in the red water, Sheik saw them shaking.

There wasn't a mirror in the room, but Sheik could feel a large bruise on his right forehead and cheek, courtesy of the Gerudo from Kakariko. He wished he had his pack, which was still by his bed in Impa’s house. It had many different balms and medicines that Impa had taught him to make in the forest.

When Sheik got his shirt as clean as it was going to get with water alone, he hung it on the rung in the empty wardrobe. Now he had a decision to make. To wait or not to wait.

There was a window in his room. It was only two floors up and facing towards the center of the castle. He didn't think he'd ever be back in the castle. Memories of poring over sketched blueprints with Impa made Sheik's heart twinge. It was painfully sad. All those years wanting to live in the castle with Impa and now he was here serving the man that had killed her.

Sheik shook his head, it was not the time nor place for self-pity. His window looked out over what used to be gardens, and now was a training ground of sorts. It was afternoon, most of Sheik's day having been spent in his cell. A few Hylian soldiers were practicing in the yard. No Gerudo. Sheik wondered what the relationship between the Hylian troops and the Gerudo was.

Looking up, Sheik could see that his floor was the topmost in this section. He tried to pinpoint his location based on the memory of the blueprints and what he'd seen coming up. He had a vague idea that he was in the center of the castle, but he couldn't remember what was nearby. He'd been so focused on the outside sections where the library was, anxious to go on the mission with Impa. He hadn't truly thought about what would happen if they'd been caught. It was strange. Sheik had been in this castle only three or four nights ago, but it felt like a lifetime.

Things were definitely different here than during Impa’s days, judging from her descriptions, and Sheik needed to find out as much as he could if he wanted to stand a chance of surviving. So the choice was simple: leave and explore, or wait. It was a cloudy day and Sheik was pretty sure he could get around fairly well without anyone seeing him. The only person he wasn't sure about being able to hide from was Ganondorf. That being said, Sheik had a feeling that as long as he wasn't being treacherous, Ganondorf wouldn't mind his initiative. The other worry was that someone would come back before he returned.

_ I'd be surprised if they didn't leave me here to stew for a bit _ , Sheik thought, and he decided a short venture was better than doing nothing. After waiting for a cloud shadow to cover the wall, Sheik climbed above his window.

Peeking over, he saw a Hylian guard who, judging from his methodical walking, was doing rounds. The guard was close to a point where Sheik predicted he'd turn, so Sheik pulled himself over the crenelated wall. Crouching, he made his way to where a castle turret was casting a long afternoon shadow. From his hiding spot, Sheik could see almost the whole castle. He took note of some interesting things.

First off, looking down, Stalfos patrolled the outside walls rather than living guards. Second, the large portion of the castle that included its tallest tower was . . . different. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what made it so strange. The stones seemed darker, the edges sharper, and it seemed deadly quiet even from Sheik's distance. People bustled about the other wings; maids, workers, and guards meandered in and out of doors, getting the last of the day's work done. But this section was deadly still. Sheik had no doubt that the dark section was where Ganondorf lived.

Ganondorf’s section also seemed the most . . . castle-like. It seeped power and importance, while the other parts appeared to be more of a large, heavily guarded garrison than a castle. Sheik looked down the roof to where it connected to the outer walls. He could probably sneak along it and make it to another section of the castle, but he didn't know how slowly he'd have to take it, and he didn't want to be gone long. A cold breeze blew and a shiver ran down Sheik's shirtless back. Taking another long look at the castle, Sheik committed the layout to memory, satisfied that he at least knew where he and Ganondorf were. Then he waited for another bout of cloud cover and, quick as a snake, swung back over the wall.

The rough stones scrapped his bare chest as he climbed back down and through his window. The room was empty and he carefully tested the door again. Still locked. Arms and legs protesting his climb after being strung up in manacles all day, Sheik lay down on the bed. Now that he was down, Sheik realized how tired he was. He had hardly slept since leaving the Lost Woods and the battle and subsequent imprisonment had taken its toll. Acknowledging that it was probably a bad idea, Sheik fell asleep.


	33. First Mission

Sheik woke up as the door clicked open. He remained still and kept his breathing long and slow. His long bangs covered his left eye, and he cracked it open, peeking through the screen of hair. It was dark in the room, but someone had a candle. He watched, unable to see exactly who it was without moving. The light moved and there was the soft sound of ceramic on wood. Then he heard the shuffle of feet moving quickly back towards the door. There was also a rustle of cloth, which Sheik realized was a skirt when a quavering, female whisper came from the doorway.

"He's asleep."

A scoff, and then another feminine voice, this one a bit louder and harsher. "Maybe. Maybe not. Either way you'd better clear out quick. He's dangerous and a bit unstable. You saw the blood?"

The harsh voice had a teasing note in it but the timid one didn't catch it. She just whimpered and Sheik heard quick steps moving away.

"Pathetic. Hylian women are so gullible."

"Truly,” a third voice said. “Though it’s probably best we not let anyone get too close to this one. I heard he came from the king's dungeons. I don't know why an enemy of the king is now locked in a comfortable room, but I don't care to have some fanciful maid helping him escape."

"Hush,” the harsher voice responded. “Like I said, we don't know he's asleep. Here, shut that door."

The door creaked shut, and Sheik made a mental note to oil it if he was ever able to sneak out. After waiting ten minutes or so and letting his eyes adjust to the darkness, Sheik silently slipped out of bed and crossed to the desk where the sound had been. Placed there was a pitcher and plate with what looked like bread on it. Upon further inspection, Sheik found a meal of bread and cheese. He sniffed it, trying to detect any poisons. When nothing particular stood out, Sheik reasoned that Ganondorf had no reason to kill him now over when he had been in the dungeon, and he doubted the Gerudo would murder him while Ganondorf planned to meet with his prisoner. And so he ate.

Satisfied that he was still sharp enough to wake up if anyone entered the room, Sheik went back to sleep. When he woke up again it was dawn. He used whatever water was left in his pitcher to wash his face, and clean bits of dried blood out of his hair. Then he went to the wardrobe and put his shirt back on. The rip in his sleeve and tear in his tabard made him once again wish for his pack, which included a needle and thread.

He'd just finished adjusting his collar, when the door opened. A dark brown haired girl in a plain dress walked in, followed by Captain Ruba. The girl was staring at the floor and carrying a large tray with another pitcher and more food on it and an empty bucket slung on one arm. With a wave from Ruba, the girl began to clean up. White faced, she poured the bloody water into the bucket and refilled the basin with the pitcher. She was exchanging the trays when the Captain spoke. 

"Ignore her,” Captain Ruba said. “You are to report to the throne room after you've eaten. I'll be waiting to see you in, so be quick about it."

The captain's annoyance at being there was so palpable, the poor serving girl nearly dropped the tray with last night's plate in her haste to get out. After they left, Sheik ate quickly, aware that Ruba didn't tell him how to get to the throne room. Luckily he was pretty sure he could figure it out. After all, it was sure to be in Ganondorf's section. Plus Ruba had to be outside it and she stood out.

Taking a deep breath, Sheik readied himself to leave. He mentally put himself back in the temple, letting the memory remind him who Ganondorf thought he was. He opened the door, walked past the Gerudo guards at either side, and turned left deducing the correct direction from his mental map so far. He walked until the corridor ended in a fork which he figured was where the middle section intersected with the outer wall. He noticed it got colder and quieter. In fact, it was almost identical to the first hallways Sheik and Impa had gone through on their way to the library. 

Turning right, Sheik followed the long hall, sunlight filtering in through tall, thin windows. After a while, a stalfos rounded the oncoming corner and Sheik's step faltered for a moment. He kept going, however, and watched the walking skeleton as it grew closer. The empty eye sockets turned to Sheik as he passed, but the stalfos didn't alter its course. It felt wrong to let the evil creature continue until it was behind him. The hair on the back of Sheik's neck rose, but he determinedly continued to walk forward without looking back. He'd just have to get used to being shoulder to shoulder with enemies.

He rounded the corner the stalfos had come from, and it widened into a much larger corridor that ended in a massive black door. A few cushioned benches lined the walls, presumably for those who were awaiting an audience. Sheik walked past the benches and up to the door where Captain Ruba was standing. If he’d surprised her by getting there, she didn't show it. As Sheik approached, she rapped the door with her knuckles and the doors opened inward.

Ganondorf's throne room was, of course, large. The massive black and red throne towering on its raised platform was unoccupied. The king instead sat at an enormous table covered in a detailed map. Also around the table were a number of well-dressed, military-looking people.

There was a Hylian man in full plate armor who looked disapprovingly in Sheik and Captain Ruba's direction. The others included a Hylian woman in studded leather, a Gerudo older than Ruba, but just as bejeweled, and a large armored Stalfos with glowing red eye sockets. Hovering in the air to the left and right of Ganondorf were two strange, almost poe-like creatures. They were straddling small brooms, and their large wrinkled and bug-eyed heads were nearly identical save the glowing red or blue hair. As Sheik approached they started cackling in unison. 

"Kekekekeke! The pup has arrived, my king!"

As Ganondorf glanced up from the map, Sheik kneeled, head bowed. "Ah, Sheikah,” Ganondorf said. “How good of you to join us. Captain, have a seat."

Sheik kept kneeling, but raised his head and watched Captain Ruba take the empty seat at the table next to the other Gerudo.

The king gestured at Sheik, "Captains, this young man has offered his loyalty to me and I, having accepted it, intend to test its worth. Captain Fari, Captain Ross, I am sure you are familiar with the skills of the Sheikah Clan. If Sheik proves useful, I encourage you to make use of him."

At the mention of their names, the two Hylian captains turned to Ganondorf and then back to Sheik. The male, Ross, looked down at Sheik with a calculating look in his piercing dark eyes. Sheik could now see that the woman, Fari, had a large burn disfiguring half of her face. The scar didn't change the fact that she showed a significant amount of surprise at seeing Sheik. She looked shocked, and then almost hurt. Or was it a look of betrayal? She composed herself quickly, but Sheik made a note to investigate her later. Was it possible he was not the only one with false loyalty in the room?

Ganondorf continued, "I am sending Sheik to see to that problem we were just discussing. Captain Ruba will go with him, but only to judge how he handles his task."

Captain Ruba leaned forward like she was going to object, but then changed her mind. However, Sheik could tell she was fuming. The other Gerudo grinned unabashedly, looking at Ruba and the young boy she'd been saddled with. Sheik sensed he was being used in a political game and just hoped he could navigate through it. Knowing the players would be the first step.

Ganondorf waved a hand and the captains, minus Ruba, stood up, bowed and left the room. Ross swept past Sheik, stepping uncomfortably close with his large metal boots, but Sheik didn't flinch. Fari made a poor attempt to look like she wasn't watching Sheik as she left, which made Sheik question his theory about her loyalty. Anyone that bad at hiding their interests wouldn't make it this close to Ganondorf. Unless he wanted them to. More politics.

The stalfos captain didn’t acknowledge Sheik at all, but the other Gerudo captain, whose name Sheik still didn't know, paused by Sheik and said coldly, "You'd better hope you're worth the trouble. Those were my troops you killed in Kakariko and if the king doesn't do it himself, destroying you will be my pleasure."

_ I'm sure, _ Sheik thought. He had already learned that the Gerudo would not waste any time trying to get rid of him. 

Now that it was just Ganondorf, Ruba, the twin witches, and himself, Sheik stood and faced the group. Ganondorf pointed to the map and Sheik stepped forward to see as the king spoke. 

"Lon Lon Ranch.” Ganondorf tapped the spot with his finger. “Until now it has remained untouched, seen as a valuable resource by my Hylian Captains. For too long, some have seen it as a spot of the Field that has escaped my rule. It is surrounded by stone walls and would make a serviceable fort. Your job is to scout out the ranch and decide if what it may have to offer is worth keeping. Then take the ranch in my name. Do not return until there can be no question that all of Hyrule Field is mine."

The parallels to Sheik's own position were not lost on him, and he resolved to fulfill his mission to Ganondorf's utmost satisfaction. He was glad he was given the mission alone. Although Captain Ruba would be accompanying him, Sheik was sure she would stay out of his way. With Ganondorf's personal eye on this mission, the most damage she could do was with her report. Sheik knew she would like nothing more than to hack him to pieces with her halberd, but he also had the feeling she would never lie outright to her king. It would be an interesting mission.

"It will be done," Sheik said as he gave Ganondorf the Sheikah salute and, receiving a nod from the Dark King, left the throne room.


	34. Preparations

Despite his best information gathering efforts, Sheik was still uncertain exactly where he should go to get weapons. Deciding that he didn't have time to be stealthy about it, Sheik stopped the first Hylian soldier he found in the corridors around the training yard.

"Where is the armory?" Sheik asked in his steeliest voice.

The soldier, a short but wide man with what looked like a permanent scowl, began to wave Sheik off until he got a good look at Sheik's still blood stained shirt and tanned skin. "Uh . . . south wing. Other end of the yard. Unless youse be lookin' for the Gerudo one which is clear on the west edge of the castle. You ain't Gerudo are you?"

Sheik hadn't expected that connection. It sort of made sense, his skin was darker than the average Hylian’s, though not nearly as dark as the desert tribe's, but he definitely lacked their signature red hair. Not to mention he was male. Sheik was a lithe boy, but he didn't think he looked feminine! Did he?

"No, I'm not,” Sheik responded. “Thank you for the directions."

The man's stare bored into the back of Sheik's skull as he crossed the corridor and entered the yard. He was going to cross to the south side, but changed his mind and headed west. Gerudo weaponry was probably closer to his style. Not to mention  _ they _ would never mistake him for a Gerudo.

The change was almost palpable as he entered the Gerudo area. First there was the smell, it was a warm, almost biting, smell; similar to the perfumes the Hylian ladies wore but less floral. It was also cleaner. This was not surprising considering how organized the Gerudo were. 

Sheik couldn't imagine that many of Hyrule's best soldiers had defected to Ganondorf, so the Hylian troops were likely less trained and organized than their Gerudo counterparts. Although Captain Ross had looked the picture of a military captain, all polished and bold.

The Gerudo symbol decorated every surface, the dotted circle staring at him from tapestries, baskets, and pots. Although it was technically the symbol of his nation, Sheik recalled there hadn't been any large display of the symbol in Ganondorf's throne room.  _ Interesting . . .  _

Sheik hadn't gotten far when a pair of Gerudo stopped him. "What are you doing here, boy!" barked the first soldier.

Deciding speed was more important now than establishing himself among the Gerudo troops, Sheik gave a slight bow, "I am in need of weaponry for my mission with Captain Ruba."

Dropping Ruba's name had the desired effect, and the women seemed less likely to attempt to throw him out. But they didn't budge. "Armory is in the south wing by the rest of you Hylian dogs."

"So I've been told. However, I find Gerudo weaponry surpasses Hylian." 

His flattery was well received. The first Gerudo stood proudly and the second now looked at him with curiosity rather than disgust. She spoke up, "Who are you exactly? You don't look Hylian."

_ This again . . .  _ "I am Sheik of the Sheikah clan. If you don't mind, I am in a hurry."

Sheik began to move forward and the second Gerudo let him pass. The first, however, grabbed his arm. He stiffened, ready to fight.

"We'd better escort him, Baru. Sheikah or not, it's best a boy not be found wandering Gerudo territory,” the first Gerudo said before turning to face Sheik. “For your sake, I hope you’re telling the truth about Captain Ruba."

The pair led Sheik to the armory. It was manned, or womanned, by a Gerudo with more piercings than Sheik had ever seen on one person. At Sheik’s approach, the woman grinned, "Natoo, Baru what's this you've brought? Target practice?"

The woman laughed at her own joke, but Sheik gave no response. His silence killed her mirth, and when she'd finished, Sheik spoke, "I need weapons for my mission with Captain Ruba."

Clicking her nails on the counter, the woman studied Sheik. Then she nodded her head at his escorts and they left Sheik alone. It appeared this woman had some power. The woman disappeared from her counter, her jewelry jingling from behind the wall and reappeared unlocking the barred door that led to a room of weapons.

"My name's Avoka. I haven't seen you before. Who are you?"

She stood aside and let Sheik enter and peruse the weapons. As he eyed a collection of curved daggers, he answered her. "I am Sheik of the Sheikah.” The daggers would work to replace his kunai, but he hadn’t used curved blades before. “These seem well-weighted. May I?"

Sheik gestured to the target dummy, and at Avoka's nod he sent the dagger hurtling towards it. It veered from where he’d aimed it, and, in throwing it, he felt the imbalance of the blade. It wouldn't do for ranged, but would work to replace his kunai at least. He felt Avoka’s eye on him as he slid through a few maneuvers with the daggers to make sure they felt comfortable. Satisfied with his choice, Sheik strapped two daggers to his thighs. 

With luck, he located some throwing needles, and slipped several up his sleeve. Next to them were weapons Sheik was unfamiliar with. They were discs of various sizes, all sharpened on the outside edge. Carefully, Sheik picked one of the smaller ones up. He could probably throw this one without cutting himself, but the larger ones . . . 

Guessing Sheik's question, Avoka chose one of the larger circles. "They're called chakram. Few choose to take the time to master them." To his surprise, she began whirling it with two fingers. Then, like a sling, she released it and it flew straight and true, slicing the head of the dummy clean off. Shaking his head in appreciation, Sheik replaced the small chakram he'd picked up. Maybe one day he'd learn to use them, but for now he wouldn't risk his fingers. 

They are also sometimes worn on the wrists, arms, or necks to cut those who come too close to the wielder," Avoka said as she straightened a stack. 

"Amazing,” Sheik muttered. “Pity on those who come against a chakram master."

Avoka nodded in acknowledgement. Sheik walked out of the armory, satisfied for now. He bowed to Avoka before he turned to leave. "You're an interesting one, Sheikah,” Avoka called after him. “I hope Ruba doesn't kill you."

_ Me too. _

Sheik made it out of the Gerudo wing without too much hassle by sticking to the shadows and keeping his distance. A few Gerudo stared, but he was out before they could stop him. As he approached the training yard, Captain Ruba exited the outer corridor. Spotting him exiting the Gerudo side, she walked quickly towards him, eyes suspicious. He held his ground as she stepped uncomfortably close and hissed, "What were you doing?"

"Rearming myself,” Sheik replied calmly. “Although I would prefer to return to Kakariko and retrieve my gear, I did not want to delay the mission."

Captain Ruba glared at him but couldn't ‘delay the mission’ herself by interrogating him. At her silence, Sheik decided to take charge. It was his mission after all, and he needed Ruba to know he had his own plan on how to do it.

"Let's go. I want to have as much time as possible to scout the ranch." Without seeing if she was following, Sheik made his way quickly towards the castle gate. He did his best to show no fear as they wove through the ReDeads. They really weren't so bad if you knew how to avoid them. Then he was  _ out _ . 

Hyrule Field seemed to glow after the dark castle. The wind rippled the grass, and Sheik felt a twinge of sadness. He had sold himself to Ganondorf and now he felt chained to the castle. He wanted nothing more than to run across the field and forget everything. Captain Ruba stepped up beside him, forcing him to cast out his foolish fantasy, and he began making his way to Lon Lon Ranch.


	35. Lon Lon Ranch

"Just stay here and try to remain out of sight,” Sheik ordered. “It's going to be hard enough to get a look around without your jewels flashing in the daylight." His order may have been too harsh, he had been nothing but respectful to Captain Ruba before, but everything depended on him pulling this mission off. If some less respectful and blunt words got his point across, then so be it.

Ruba looked ready to slice him in half, but restrained herself. "I was told to watch you in action,” she growled. “I can't very well do that from out here."

"I'll come back and report to you on what I did and then lay out my plan. Sheikah are valued for our stealth. We serve mainly as spies. I don't plan on doing anything but gathering information for now."

Glancing at the tall stone wall and the small entrance, Sheik made his final point. "Neither of us know what the inside looks like exactly, and I doubt there'd be any place for you to wait. I also don't want to alert them of a Gerudo's presence if they haven't already seen us." Sheik would have preferred to arrive alone and at night, but Ganondorf was waiting, and Sheik doubted the ranch had watchmen.

After a short glaring session, Ruba gave in and leaned herself and her weapon against the stony wall. "You have until nightfall to be back or I’ll come after you."

_ To kill me for treason rather than to find me. I get it. _ Sheik nodded, satisfied, and began to climb the wall.

After checking to make sure there was no one who could spot him, Sheik perched on the top of the wall for a moment, looking over the ranch. He was above a large building that was attached to an even larger stable on the right side of the main entrance. A two story home was on the other side. The rest of the walled area was a large field with a circular corral bordered by a dirt track. Horses of various ages and colors were grazing in the corral. No one seemed to be outside. 

Sheik jumped nimbly down onto the tiled roof of the building he assumed was a barn. He carefully made his way across until he found a loose shingle. He removed it and then wiggled the one above it until it too came free before peering through the hole he had made. The smell and lowing of cows filtered through the gap. In the dim light Sheik could make out one of the large creatures in its stall. A man wielding a pitchfork of hay was opening the empty stall next to it and grumbling. Sheik leaned down and focused on the farmworker’s voice.

"I feel like I just cleaned this place, and here I am, the great Ingo, doing it all over again. It never ends Bessie, it really doesn't. I work myself to the bone for that lazy Talon. Place should be called Ingo's Ranch for all the work I do!"

The cow, Bessie, leaned into the stall Ingo was cleaning and placed her snout against his head. It might have been a sweet sign of affection, but it left cow mucus in Ingo's dark hair. "Stop that, you stupid thing!” Ingo yelled as he swatted the cow’s muzzle away. “Even you animals are an ungrateful lot."

A loud, angry whinny interrupted Sheik's eavesdropping and he crawled to the edge of the roof. Loud stomps and horsey snorts followed the whinny until a beautiful voice started singing. Sheik reached the edge of the roof where it switched to the wooden top of the stables; he looked over the eaves and saw a beautiful bay horse with a white mane being stroked by a girl with hair just a bit brighter than the horse's coat. She was the one singing, the song apparently calming the horse. Although it stopped kicking the ground, it raised its head, nostrils flaring. Sheik backed up from the edge. The horse smelled him!

The singing stopped, "Hush, Epona, what's gotten into you? Do you want to run, is that it?"

At that, the horse whinnied happily, and the tinkling sound of the girl's laughter followed. The barn door creaked open and Ingo’s voice came from below Sheik, "Malon, what's wrong? That horse has upset the cows."

"I think she's just antsy,” Malon answered, stroking Epona’s mane. “I'm going let her run herself out of whatever is bothering her."

Sheik got on his knees and watched Malon ride to the track around the corral. She leaned forward and they took off. Sheik knew almost nothing about horses, but after the first circuit, the horses in the corral joined the race and Epona's speed became clear. The horse seemed to fly. Malon was grinning, her hair whipping in the wind as she steered Epona around the corral for the fourth run. Ingo watched and whistled.

"That horse is the fastest I've ever seen. I could make a fortune with a horse like that,” Ingo muttered to himself. “Of course Malon would never want to see her go, and Talon would never do anything to upset his daughter. Not that he'd do anything for any reason." Ingo chuckled to himself at his lame joke and headed back into the barn.

Now that Epona and Malon were occupied and Ingo returned indoors, Sheik decided it was time to see the owner of the ranch. He crept to the roof’s edge and dropped to the ground, running to the other side and scaling the opposite building in seconds. Back in hiding, he looked around the building to make sure no one had seen. Malon and Epona were starting their fifth lap of the track.

Looking in the second floor window, Sheik saw an empty room. With one of his needles, he undid the window latch and let himself in.

He guessed from the size that the house contained three bedrooms on this floor and probably none below. That meant it was only Ingo, Malon, and her parents on the ranch—which explained Ingo's tendency to talk to himself. It also meant he was most likely in Ingo's room. The single bed was made, the plain wardrobe contained men's clothing (mostly overalls), and the wooden desk was covered in papers.

The papers were mostly financial, records of the ranch's expenses and income from its famous milk. Although Impa had her own cow, she and Sheik had sometimes purchased bottles of Lon Lon Milk when Kakariko's deliveries arrived. It was one of the ranch’s resources, though Sheik doubted delicious milk would save it from becoming Ganondorf's fortress.

Under the bookkeeping papers was a well-worn black journal. Opening it, Sheik discovered it mostly contained rantings similar to what he'd overheard. However it did reveal that Ingo wasn't all talk. He had put a significant amount of thought into exactly how he'd run his own ranch.

According to him, Lon Lon's true wealth lay in its horses, which he claimed were the fastest in the world. Apparently, Lon Lon's horses were Malon's mother's pride and joy and she had often hosted races at the ranch, which she also almost always won. Sheik inferred from the way Ingo wrote about her that she had passed away and that Ingo had admired her. In fact, he had a picture of her tucked in the journal's pages. She looked a lot like Malon, although her face and nose were longer.

Sheik replaced everything the way he had found it, and listened at the door. There was no sound. Wishing he had his oil to ensure the door opened quietly, Sheik turned the handle and pushed.  _ Thank Hylia.  _ It opened almost noiselessly. 

Sheik was now in a hall with three other doors. One was ajar revealing a bathroom. A set of stairs led down to the main floor. Sheik could hear soft clucking noises from downstairs.  _ Cuccos? _ Curiosity got the better of Sheik, and he went to the top of the stairs. As he approached, he could see over the railing to a large open space. Cuccos were walking all over, pecking at the floorboards. As he reached the railing, he caught sight of a human figure. He almost retreated before he saw that the man was asleep. This had to be Talon; the large bearded man was slumped next to a wooden table with Cuccos pecking at his overalls. It was no wonder Ingo had so little respect for his boss.

Sheik went back down the hall satisfied that if Talon could sleep through cuccos’ clucking, then he would sleep through Sheik opening a few doors. He turned the knob and pushed open the bedroom door across from the bathroom.  _ This must be Malon's room _ , he thought. It was well decorated and the bed was carefully made, the quilted comforter depicted horses and flowers. 

She also had a desk covered with notes on the horses’ development (complete with sketches) and some books on history, science, math, and language. There was also a framed portrait of a younger Talon and his wife holding a baby Malon. The drawer revealed a locked book and a sketchbook. Sheik decided not to open what he presumed was Malon's diary. He wanted to know how capable she was at running the ranch, a tentative plan having begun to form in his mind, but the notes on her desk were enough for Sheik to get his answer. 

He did, however, flip through the sketchbook. Horses made an appearance on nearly every page, but there were also a lot of drawings of handsome princely figures carrying a heart eyed Malon away. Sheik nearly dropped the book when he got to an older section, judging from the style, which was filled with pictures of a boy in green with a blue winged fairy by him.  _ Link? _

The pictures sometimes included Malon, usually indulging romantic fantasy, but also sometimes a small bay mare. How did Link manage to pop up everywhere? Did Malon know he was the Hero? Probably not. As much as Sheik wanted to interrogate Malon for everything she knew about the Hero, it was probably better she think about and mention Link as little as possible. 

Could Malon possibly be a Sage? No, Sheik guessed that Malon was what she appeared to be. An innocent girl with a talent for horses and a penchant for romance. Being the owner's daughter, it didn't seem like she did much of the harder work. However, her talent with horses was something Ingo didn't have . . . 

Sheik replaced everything in Malon's room. He surprised himself by feeling a little bitter towards the girl. She was about Sheik's age, but her life was so much simpler and pleasant. Sheik doubted he would truly be happy as a normal teenager, but he did wish things had turned out differently. He wanted to be serving the princess at Impa's side, not desperately trying to save Hyrule while serving her murderer undercover. A sigh escaped Sheik, and he scolded himself. He had no right to be jealous of Malon's peaceful life. It was, after all, nearly over.


	36. Epona

As Sheik dropped down from the wall, he found Captain Ruba standing where he’d left her, leaning against the wall and scanning the Field for trouble. Sheik had searched Talon's room and decided he was indeed the lazy man Ingo accused him of being. With that last piece of information, Sheik solidified his plan; there was just one thing he needed to be sure of.

"Captain,” Sheik said, turning to Ruba. “How well do you know horses?"

Eyebrow raised, Ruba answered, "Very. All Gerudo are required to be excellent horsewomen."

_ Required? _ Sheik filed that piece of Gerudo information away and asked, "Can I trust you to give me an honest appraisal of a horse's speed?"

Ruba narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "What are you getting at?"

"I saw a magnificent mare at the ranch that ran like the wind. In the past Lon Lon held horse races, and their horses were renowned throughout Hyrule for their speed. I think that's where the true value of the ranch lies.” Sheik gestured at the ranch, “If an expert like you confirms that the Lon Lon horses are faster than the current horses of Ganondorf's cavalry, then I will make sure they are at his disposal."

"Ha! I've seen the horses the Hylian cavalry use! They are nothing compared to the Gerudo steeds." Ruba scoffed and turned away from Sheik.

"Yes, but those horses were not from Lon Lon Ranch,” Sheik interjected to regain her attention. “The ranch hasn't sold its horses to anyone for at least a decade. The only thing the castle has gotten from Lon Lon is milk.” Ruba turned back to him and he met her eyes, “I ask you again, if the horse I show you is faster than Gerudo horses, would you tell me honestly?"

Captain Ruba considered the question for a moment and then nodded. "Yes, I would. I never keep anything of value from my king's possession."

That tied up the last loose end of his plan and with a nod, Sheik explained what he was going to do. Captain Ruba listened, and for a moment Sheik thought he saw a glimmer of respect in her eye. If anything, his plan had outdone the low expectation she had placed on him.

The two waited until the sun began to set. Sheik used the time to inquire a bit more about Gerudo culture. Using Ruba's comment earlier as a starting point, he learned about the Horsemaster of the desert fortress the Gerudo called home. In order to be respected as adults, Gerudo must pass the Horsemaster’s riding test which involved shooting targets while riding a horse. Sheik had seen the small recurve bows in the Gerudo armory. Unlike the Hylian longbows, they could be fired while mounted. Although, it would still take exceptional skill to do so. Swordsmanship, archery, and horsemanship seemed to be the most respected skills among the desert people. If Sheik was going to gain the Gerudo’s respect, he figured he would have to master them as well.

As the sky continued to darken, Sheik swung up on to the wall and signaled for Ruba to join him. She surprised him with her dexterity as she managed to scale the wall easily while still carrying her halberd. He pointed out where he wanted her to watch from, a piece of roof on the barn where she could see the track, but remain hidden by the shadow the wall cast in the setting sun. Malon was leading the horses, one or two at a time, into the stables. Sheik didn't see Epona, and guessed she was already in the barn. He waited until Malon was just about to exit the corral with two horses and then dropped down into the back of the stables.

Inside were four horses and a foal. They shifted uncomfortably in their stalls and swiveled their ears at the unwelcome intruder. Sheik made his way quietly to the section that held Epona. The bay mare watched him grow closer, her bright eyes seeming to demand what he thought he was doing in her domain. She bared her large white teeth at him and stomped her front hooves in the ground. Sheik prayed Epona would do what he hoped she would.

_ That's right. There's an intruder and you need to let Malon know. _

The lock on the stall door was a simple bolt. He just had to get it open without Epona taking a bite out of him. Hoping he was faster with his hands than she was with her mouth, Sheik ran towards the stall. Epona let out a shrill whinny and tried to bite him. Luckily for Sheik, she fell for his feint to the left as he dropped to the right and pulled the latch. He barely managed to roll backwards out of the way before she kicked the door open. Without pausing he jumped and flipped himself onto the stable roof beams. He slid back, pressing himself down the slightly inclined roof. 

As he had hoped, Epona's cry signaled the other horses and they began to whinny and pound the ground. Even better, the two horses that were halfway to the stable jerked back, making Malon turn and miss seeing Sheik sidling to the edge to climb back on top of the roof. Epona shot out of the barn and reared up angrily. She raised her head and sniffed the air.

The two horses Malon was leading pulled free and bolted down the track. Unlike Epona, they seemed to want to avoid trouble rather than fight it. Malon ran towards Epona and tried to calm her, but with Sheik's scent in the air, Epona refused to return to the stall. The girl grabbed a coil of rope from the barn door and managed to convince Epona to let her swing onto her back. Even though her horse's head kept swiveling back to the barn and its roof, Malon urged Epona to go after the fleeing horses. With a frustrated neigh, Epona obeyed, almost losing Malon as she shot like an arrow down the length of Lon Lon Ranch, easily catching up to the panicked horses.

Forming a lasso, Malon managed to catch the horses one at a time and lead them back into the corral. Anytime Malon stopped Epona, the horse raised its head and seemed to stare accusingly at the barn. But her enemy was gone, already back over the wall.


	37. Threats

"What do you think?" Sheik asked once he and Captain Ruba were back in the field.

He had expected Ruba to grudgingly admit that Epona outshone her people's horses, but instead she looked quite pleased. "That is a fine beast. I've never seen a horse run like that. I think she is worthy of serving the great Ganondorf."

It seemed a Gerudo's respect, once won, was a valuable thing. If only it was as easy for Sheik as it was for Epona.

"That girl, too, was impressive.” Ruba continued, “Few are brave enough to approach an angry mare, let alone ride her."

"Thank you for your appraisal Captain,” Sheik said. “I will continue with my plan and return to you in the morning and Lon Lon Ranch will be ready to be used by its king."

Captain Ruba nodded; she still looked quite pleased and Sheik began to think his plan would really work. Of course, he still had to do the ugly part.

Sheik went around the ranch the long way, not wanting to pass the entrance even in the dying light. Approaching the wall near the house, he climbed over and slipped into Talon's room. As expected, it was empty. Talon had probably been woken by the horses’ or his daughter’s cries. Sheik pressed his ear against the door, but couldn't hear anything. Hoping there was no one in the hall, he stepped out. Ingo's door was ajar and Sheik could hear voices from downstairs.

"So you don't know what spooked her?"

"No dad, I'm telling you she wasn't spooked. She was angry; something must've gotten in the barn! But when I checked after catching the horses, there was nothing there. Epona's stall door was kicked open, but that was it."

Sheik was surprised Malon hadn't noticed the door had been unbolted before it was kicked. He thought that would've been obvious. Then he heard the sound of the front door opening and closing.

"Well, whatever upset them is gone now." That was Ingo, his voice sleepy.

"There, see Malon,” Talon said as the wood floor boards beneath him creaked. “Nothing to worry about. Now let's all get some rest, and be grateful no one got hurt."

"But what if whatever it was comes back? What if it attacks the horses? What if—"

"Nothing is going to happen to the horses, Malon. Now, it has been a long day, and I think you’re letting your imagination get the better of you. There was probably a snake, and it spooked Epona and then slithered off."

"She wasn't spooked!” Malon huffed, frustrated that she wasn’t being taken seriously. “Dad, I'm telling you—"

Talon interrupted, his voice calm and sleepy. "You checked and Ingo checked. Whatever it was is gone now and, from what you told me, if it comes back, the horses will let us know. Now I'm headed to bed, and you should do the same. Goodnight."

"Your father's right, Malon," Ingo yawned. "If anything gets back in there, the horses will wake us up from our hard earned sleep."

"I suppose . . . " Malon consented begrudgingly.

Sheik backed into Talon's room at the sound of the owner’s heavy footsteps climbing the stairs. He stood at the side of Talon's wardrobe, out of sight of the doorway. The door opened and Talon walked in, shut the door, and let out a yawn.

"That girl,” Talon mumbled, “a worrier, just like her mother."

Before he could turn around, Sheik shot out and clamped onto his windpipe with one hand and pressed a curved dagger on his ribs. "Stay silent or Malon becomes an orphan. Nod if you understand."

Talon's hands flew to his throat, but at the mention of Malon he froze and nodded."Good,” Sheik whispered. “I would prefer to keep this as bloodless as possible, but if you don't do exactly as I say, your life and your daughter's are forfeit. Go to your desk. Quietly."

Keeping the dagger where it was, but shifting his grip from Talon's throat to the back of his collar, Sheik pushed the terrified man towards his desk. As he sat down, the knife shifted to his throat.

"Now write that you are giving Lon Lon Ranch and all of its assets to Ingo." Talon obeyed. "Good, now sign it," Sheik ordered. Talon hesitated for a moment, his pen held just above the paper, before signing. The signature was wobbly but sufficient. Sheik asked, "Where is the deed? Don't say anything, just point."

Talon pointed a shaky hand to a chest at the end of his bed.

"I'm going to open it; stay seated right there and do not let your eyes leave that document.” Sheik applied slightly more pressure on the dagger against Talon’s neck and leaned down close to Talon’s ear and whispered coldly, “I warn you I can throw this dagger through your throat before you have a chance to finish your last word."

Slowly, Sheik removed his dagger from Talon's throat, a small red bead forming where the blade had been. He walked to the chest and opened it, removing the expected clothing and blankets, until he found a locked iron box at the bottom. Sheik took it out and returned to place the lock box on the desk in front of Talon who was staring at the document, sweat beading on his face.

"Open it."

Reaching into his shirt, Talon retrieved a chain with three keys on it. He chose the smallest and unlocked the iron box. Sheik took the key out of the lock and slipped the thin chain over Talon's head. Then he flipped the box open and retrieved the deed.

"Put all of this in an envelope and address it to Ingo,” Sheik said. Talon did as Sheik asked, his hands still trembling. “Good, now seal it."

Sheik poured the wax on the envelope and Talon sealed it with the Lon Lon seal; a beveled circle surrounding a cow’s somber face. Sheik took the envelope and tucked it in the small pocket under his tabard. Then he placed the dagger back on Talon’s ribs; the man was visibly shaking, and by now tears were streaming from his eyes. "P—please . . . "

Talon stopped when Sheik pressed the dagger harder, cutting the skin and hissed, "Quiet. If you want to make it out of this alive, you will listen  _ very  _ carefully. The only safe place for you now is Kakariko Village. Do you know how to get there?" Talon nodded and sniffled loudly. "If you have any rope I will attach it to the top of the wall for you to climb over. If you do not, then you will have to jump. You must leave through your window, get over the wall, and go straight towards Kakariko as quietly and quickly as possible.” 

Talon stiffened and he realized Sheik was offering him a way out. Sheik spoke faster, infusing his words with urgency. “I am not alone, and if my companion spots you, she will kill you on sight. If you manage to reach Kakariko, you will be safe, but I warn you that if you ever return or leave the village, Malon will pay for your disobedience. Now, do you have any rope in this room?"

Again Talon nodded, carefully he stood up. Sheik allowed him to cross the room and slowly open his wardrobe. With a little bit of digging, he pulled out a length of rope, a tool of his trade that he had probably not practiced in years. Sheik hoped, for Talon's sake, that the lazy man could climb.

After reminding Talon once again of his ability to slaughter the ranch occupants, Sheik climbed the wall once more and attached the rope as promised. Then, bringing the end to Talon, he watched as Talon did his measly best to quietly climb the wall. With wheezing and grunting, painfully loud on Sheikah ears, Talon did eventually reach the top. He glanced once more at Sheik who pointed at the wall with his dagger, letting it glint menacingly in the moonlight, and then turned and walked out of Talon's sight. 

The owner was out of the way, but Sheik's work wasn't done yet. He waited in Talon's room for about three hours; until he was sure that the two people who actually worked the ranch were asleep. Then he re-entered the hall and crossed to the opposite room. Hearing nothing from inside and seeing no light from under the door, Sheik carefully turned the handle and slipped inside, shutting the door behind him and readying his dagger. The room was dark, the window barely illuminating Ingo's sleeping form.


	38. Change of Ownership

Sheik crept up to Ingo's bed and leapt onto it, pinning Ingo's arms with his legs and covering Ingo's mouth with one hand. He held his dagger high with the other so when Ingo’s eyes shot open he could see it.

"Be quiet and hold still or you die right now,” Sheik whispered, a flash of moonlight glinting off the dagger once again. “Do what I say, and I can make you rich."

Ingo struggled for a second, but when Sheik's dagger rested on the side of his face he stopped and went limp.

"I'm going to remove my hand,” Sheik continued. “Make a noise and you're dead."

Sheik carefully lifted his hand and Ingo's mouth stayed shut, pressed in a furious line. His eyes shot back and forth from Sheik's face to the far left, where he could just make out the edge of the blade. Sheik reached into his pocket and pulled out the envelope. He held it up so Ingo could see his name written on it.

"This is the deed to Lon Lon Ranch, along with a paper transferring its ownership to you. It is written, signed, and sealed by the owner. If you want it, listen carefully."

Even in the dark, Sheik could see the greed glittering in Ingo's eyes. He returned the envelope to his pocket and Ingo’s eyes followed the documents intently. Sheik grabbed Ingo's night shirt collar and swung himself back into a standing position, pulling Ingo to a sitting one.

"To have this envelope there are several non-negotiable conditions.” Ingo’s eyes were wide and focused so Sheik continued quickly, “First, you must focus your resources and assets on the breeding and training of horses. The second condition is that you will provide the king's army with your best horses for a minimal price. Although you own the ranch, remember that as of now, the king owns you. As long as you continue to provide resources to the castle, you are free to manage all other trade on the side and keep the profits.”

Ingo’s mustache twitched and Sheik could practically hear the gears turning in the man’s head. “I'm sure you are a shrewd enough businessman to see the potential there.” Sheik continued, “By belonging to the king, you are safe from any military raids and thus one of the few reliable suppliers of food. Under the right leadership, this ranch could be making much more than it is; a value I already know you have calculated. You are free to take any money Talon left behind as well. He will not be returning, if he's even alive."

To Sheik's grim satisfaction, any feelings of worry for his old employer did not temper the greed on Ingo's face. With the right push and opportunity, Ingo was indeed turning out to be quite the villain.

"The third condition is that you keep Malon at the ranch. You know as well as I that she's the key to the horses’ success. Put her to work and keep her here. With Talon gone, I imagine you are her legal guardian. It will be up to you to keep her from running away. Remember, your life depends on meeting the king's demands and I doubt you can do that without her.” Sheik pointed at Ingo with his dagger, “Last of all, Epona is now the king's horse. You will gift her to him as a sign of loyalty. Do you understand?"

Ingo’s mouth twisted to a grin. "Yes,” he said, his voice full of delight. “Yes I understand. Ingo's ranch is at the king's service." 

Sheik pulled the envelope back out and handed it to Ingo, who ripped it open and did his best to examine the contents in the dim light. Sheik watched him for a moment and then released his shirt, "I'll be back, Ingo. Don't forget what you owe your king."

Leaving Ingo to his calculations and schemes, Sheik exited the room. Not wanting to disturb the cuccos downstairs, Sheik turned to leave the way he came. But first he stopped in front of Malon’s room. He touched it lightly.  _ I'm sorry, Malon. This was the best I could do. _ Trying to leave his guilt behind, Sheik returned to Talon’s window and disappeared into the night.


	39. Control

"Ingo! Ingo! Father's gone!"

Malon's shrieks rang through the morning air. Sheik nodded to Captain Ruba, and the two began walking towards the entrance of the ranch.

"Dad! Dad! Where are you?"

Sheik watched from the gate as Malon ran through the barn, no doubt checking for her father's sleeping form. After a while, she came racing around the corner, tears streaking down her face, and her disheveled hair waving in the breeze. As she neared the gate, Sheik climbed it quickly and jumped from the top, dropping suddenly in front of her.

"Your father is gone," Sheik said, his voice prepared and stony. 

To Malon's credit, she stiffened and stared at Sheik defiantly. "Who are you, and what are you doing on my father's ranch?"

"Actually, my dear,” Ingo announced dramatically from the doorway of the house. It's my ranch now." He was wearing a bright blue shirt and pristine pants. No doubt the best he owned.

She turned to him, her eyebrows furrowed. "What are you talking about, Ingo?"

Sheik spoke again, "The ownership of this ranch belongs to Ingo, the king's servant."

Ingo bowed cockily. Malon stared at Ingo, and her confusion turned to disbelief. "What?! What king? You mean Ganondorf? The murdering tyrant!?" She exclaimed.

A needle grazed Malon's cheek, a thin line of blood oozed out. Sheik straightened again. "You will speak of your king with respect or not at all." Sheik had no doubt that if he hadn't done something, Captain Ruba, watching from the other side of the gate, would have. And she wouldn't have missed.

Ingo, also seeing the risk of Malon’s backtalk, stepped forward and grabbed her arm. He spoke roughly, but Sheik detected concern in his voice. "That's enough, Malon. Come inside."

Malon ripped her arm from him and spat at his face. "I can't believe you! I thought you were my friend. I'm going to find my father." She ran towards the stable and Ingo looked at Sheik with panic in his eyes. Sheik raised an eyebrow and did nothing. If Ingo couldn't take control, then this was all worthless.

Ingo raised a fist. "Malon, stop! Stop or I'll . . . or I'll . . . "

Malon spun around and gave him a look of pure defiance. "Or you'll what?"

Doing his best to seem tall and commanding, Ingo bellowed, "If you leave, I'll hurt your precious horses."

Jaw dropping, Malon stopped. "You wouldn't. Ingo . . . "

Sensing victory, he continued, "That's right. You heard me. You go back inside right now or I'll whip them, and then I'll whip you."

Tears welling once more, Malon walked stiffly back towards the house. Before she went inside she shot Sheik a hateful glance. The door slammed hard, and Sheik saw Ingo's shoulders slump a little. Maybe he wasn't the villain Sheik had thought he was. Although it could threaten his plan, Sheik was glad.

Sheik nodded at Ingo, who bowed low in response and unlocked the gate. Sheik walked out of Lon Lon Ranch and Captain Ruba joined him. "Your plan worked," she said. 

That was it. But acknowledgment that it was a success was all Sheik needed. Ruba added, "He'll have a hard time keeping that girl in check."

Apparently, despite her insults to Ganondorf, Ruba still respected Malon. Her ability to impress the fierce Gerudo was something Sheik needed. "Yes,” Sheik agreed. “But I told him his place as the ranch owner depends on keeping her there and working with the horses. I think he'll manage."

Ruba looked at him, but he stayed staring ahead. Then she laughed, "That was clever. That weasel's greed is probably the only thing strong enough to hold her down. I'll admit, I had my doubts about your way of doing things. I would have preferred to just take it over by force and put my own people in charge. But then we would have lost the girl who made the ranch worthwhile. I see how the more subtle approach works. I'm not sure it still sits right with me, but I see why the king values it."

Almost a compliment. "A willing ally is better than a dead enemy,” Sheik muttered. “A dead man can do nothing for you, but living he can unlock every door." It was one of the hundreds of Sheikah mantras.

Captain Ruba gave a harrumph but didn't argue. No doubt she saw how the saying applied to Sheik himself. The two traveled the rest of the way to the castle in silence.


	40. Politics

The Captain's report must have been satisfactory, because Sheik was still alive the next day. He'd spent the previous afternoon meditating on his future, if he had one, and if his mission had gone as well as he thought. He'd managed to avoid killing anyone, and, if Ganondorf considered the mission successful, prevented the ranch from being destroyed. Talon hiding out at Kakariko was not ideal, and was a dangerous loose end, but Sheik needed him as leverage for another plan he was working on.

While waiting in his room, Sheik had also managed to procure cleaning and mending supplies. He spent the time finally fixing his clothes and it was nice to have them clean and whole again; to have the reminders of the Kakariko battle gone.

Now a full twenty-four hours after returning to the castle, Sheik waited for a servant to deliver his meal. Yesterday it had been a mousy haired girl who’d kept her eyes on the floor or her task, while Sheik sat on his bed, still and quiet. She was obviously terrified, and reminded Sheik of the deer he would sometimes startle in the forest. This morning the door opened to reveal the same girl, however, this time she was unexpectedly followed by Avoka.

The large Gerudo women gave him a wink. "Well, Sheik, word is you completed your mission to the king's satisfaction. Captain Ruba can't have been happy about giving a successful report of a young Hyrulian boy. Naoku's not going to let her forget that one for a while."

_ Naoku? Who's that? The other Gerudo Captain perhaps? _ Sheik wondered why Avoka was the one delivering this news. It smelled of politics and immediately he was on edge. "Thank you for the news, as well as for your assistance at the armory." Sheik kept his voice and face as neutral as possible.

"You're a strange boy. If you've got any questions, you can ask me." Avoka smiled, but Sheik didn't return the gesture, he kept up his neutral pose. 

_ She's trying to get something from me.  _ He thought furiously. _ If I accept her help, she'll have some sort of claim over me. She's already let it slip that there’s some sort of dissatisfaction among the Gerudo, I can't make any move until I know exactly what it is and where she stands.  _ He thought about his next words carefully. "My only question right now is whether I may return to Kakariko and retrieve my gear."

It was obviously not his only question, and although Avoka's smile didn't waver, her eyes flashed. "I would suggest asking one of the captains for permission to leave the castle."

_ Who would you prefer, Avoka? Ruba or Naoku, if she is indeed the other Gerudo Captain? _

The serving girl, finished with her job, turned to leave. Sheik bowed a thanks to Avoka, who studied him for a moment. "I've got my eye on you, Sheikah boy," she said before turning to leave as well. Her voice was playful but dangerous. 

_ Wonderful, _ Sheik thought dryly as he sat down at his desk for breakfast.

He had expected Ganondorf to assign him some sort of handler. He doubted it was Avoka, she'd seemed more like she had come out of supposed kindness rather than orders. Sheik was apparently an object of some attention; not the preferred situation for a Sheikah. He had no doubt that Avoka was an intelligent and dangerous woman, and did not like the idea of her watching his movements. He tried to organize the pieces in his mind.

He started from the top. What did Ganondorf expect of him? He needed to establish some sort of role in the Dark King's court. If the king had assigned him a handler as he’d expected he’d know who to go to for new orders. Instead, Sheik had received a second-hand announcement of the king's approval. What did Ganondorf gain by watching Sheik scramble for a place, besides sick amusement? 

_ Of course! He is aware of the games his captains are playing and I'm just a tool to draw them out. _

Sheik had expected to be used, albeit not quite like this. However, if that was what Ganondorf wished, then he would oblige. If anything, it was a chance to gain the king's trust, and showcase his ability to navigate delicate situations.

_ I can't do anything until I have at least a basic understanding of the situation here. _ He thought, slowly chewing the apple from his tray.

Sheik couldn't ask anyone for help without risking falling into a social trap, so he would have to gather information in a quieter manner. That suited him just fine. Let everyone wonder how he got his information, it would just add to the mysterious persona he was working to cultivate. 

Regardless of what others expected him to be, he'd decided he would be Ganondorf's cold, efficient tool; untouchable by any but his king. It was the best way to fulfil his true mission of finding the sages.

Finishing his breakfast, Sheik tested the door. It was unlocked so he pulled it open and walked out confidently. There were no guards posted outside, which probably meant Sheik was free to come and go—at least in the castle. He made his way down the hall and decided to begin his search in the Hylian section. He would try to work the Gerudo side after his second plan was complete, and he couldn't begin that plan for at least a few days.

From what he'd seen of Ganondorf's troops, their king didn’t often call them to action. They seemed quite comfortable in the castle and not anxious for new orders. Sheik guessed he would have at least a week before Ganondorf called on him, one way or another. The downtime also explained how whatever internal strife that existed had managed to grow.  _ Idle blood makes for bad blood,  _ the Sheikah saying went.

As he approached the wing where he guessed the Hylian mess hall and barrack lay, he began searching for a good spot to hide out. He found the perfect set up: a corridor that soldiers had to pass through to get to the inner courtyard. It looked like the ceiling had been repaired at some point and there was an extra ceiling brace. Sheik could easily slip up between the ceiling and the brace, and be able to see and hear the going-ons of the hall. As an added bonus, the morning sun shone brightly through the window, discouraging anyone from looking up to where Sheik perched.

It worked wonderfully. Three hours passed and Sheik learned quite a lot. There were two types of Hylian soldiers: those who had been soldiers before the coup (or had wanted to be) and those who had been criminals. The two groups weren't as segregated as Sheik would have expected, but still did not get along. 

Apparently, Captain Ross had whipped the criminals Ganondorf had pulled out of jail into decent soldierly shape. However, one particular group of soldiers, who were complaining to each other as they walked by Sheik’s perch, talked about how they weren't getting as much respect as they had in 'the old days' and referred to Captain Ross as a traitor. Ross had been a Hyrulean general who jumped ship suspiciously quickly after the rightful king was murdered. One of the complaining soldiers had mentioned that “if it weren't for Captain Fari” they'd have never joined the new regime.

He also heard many complaints or rude comments directed towards the Gerudo. Those comments confirmed that Naoku was indeed the other Gerudo captain and that there were definitely hostilities between the Hylian and Gerudo troops, though it seemed direct fighting was harshly punished. Mutual dislike for Gerudo seemed to be the only thing Fari and Ross's men agreed on. Although that dislike didn't seem to stop some of the men from making lewd comments about the benefits of having a group of lightly clad females around. Comments that Sheik was sure would get them fiercely cut down if any Gerudo had heard.

Sheik descended from his hiding spot while the hallway was empty and decided to find out what the Hylian thought of him. He walked openly to the Hylian armory under the pretense of needing weapons. To get to the armory, he passed the mess hall and as he walked by, he heard the conversation stop and the whispers begin. He glanced casually at the crowd, scanning it once before looking ahead again. Most of the faces were confused, some afraid. Some seemed like they wanted to laugh at what their companions were telling them about the strange boy wearing the Sheikah eye. Sheik didn't miss the man who, at the sight of Sheik and a signal from his companion, slipped out the back door. It was only a matter of time before at least one of the Hylian captains knew he was here.

He was examining a Hylian bow, comparing it to the recurve Gerudo one he’d seen a couple of days before, when a deep voice spoke from behind him, "Ah, the king's new toy."


	41. Captains

Sheik casually turned around and saw Captain Ross leaning against the door, effectively blocking the only way out. Sheik let a little anger show at Ross's insult. He didn't want to pick a fight, but he also couldn't let himself be walked over by anyone.

Ross laughed. "Don't take it personally; we are all toys to His Majesty."

Sheik accepted that and gave Ross a small bow. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Captain Ross."

"I heard you were in my neck of the woods, and wanted to get a better look at you. You were quite the picture in the throne room, kneeling there covered in Gerudo blood."

If Ross was hoping for an ally against the Gerudo, he would be disappointed. Sheik didn't take the bait. The man continued, "I have to admit I was surprised a Sheikah would deign to serve a Gerudo master. I knew Impa, and she had a loyalty to the old royals that was stronger than steel. I thought you Sheikah had some sort of ancient pact with the royals."

"The Hyrule Royal Family died when I was a child,” Sheik replied coolly. “I had no loyalty except towards the village that raised me. Until now, I had no chance to use my training."

It was clear that Captain Ross was amused that the fourteen year old boy in front of him used the phrase 'when I was a child,' and was having a hard time not commenting on it. "Yes, I heard about the deal you cut with His Majesty. Honestly, I’m shocked that he agreed." Ross eyed Sheik suspiciously, but, of course, Sheik was unreadable.

It was logical that those close to Ganondorf would suspect that Sheik had promised something else to the king besides loyalty. Ganondorf was not known to show mercy, and Sheik shouldn't have had the chance to even make the deal. He wondered about the few Gerudo who had overheard his offer at the village. It wouldn't surprise him if they had disappeared after dragging him back to the castle.

"I am, however, glad to have you around,” Ross continued. “I know Impa made herself quite useful to the royals, until the very end. She was an excellent warrior and an even better spy."

Captain Ross dropped Impa’s name to tempt Sheik with information about his predecessor. Unfortunately for Ross, Sheik knew all too well how Impa had died. However, he needed to pretend that he didn't. 

"Sheikah generally are." He let a hint of interest leak into his voice and Ross gave him a knowing look that Sheik couldn't have missed if he were blind.  _ Good. _ Let Ross think he had something Sheik wanted. It would work with his pride and make him sloppy.

The captain nodded in acknowledgment and then turned to leave. "You're welcome to any of the weapons. Goodbye, Sheik."

Sheik gave another slight bow as Ross left the armory. Two captains met, two to go.

He had barely decided on the dagger to take in order to give some credibility to his visit, when he noticed two Hylian soldiers failing to look natural while loitering outside the door. Surely no one would be foolish enough to attack him in a room full of weapons? Sheik turned so that his back was to the doorway, and watched the men through the reflection of a large polished tower shield. 

After a minute or two, the men snapped to attention and saluted someone down the hall. Captain Fari approached and the men whispered something to her, pointing into the room. Fari nodded, entering the armory quietly, and began to close the door. Unlike the Gerudo armory, which was held in a jail cell-like space and guarded by Avoka, the Hylian armory was its own locked windowless room. The key was held by a bored looking guard . . . and probably the captains. Before the door completely closed, Sheik spoke, "Hello, Captain Fari, was there something you needed?"

She smiled and shut the door softly behind her. "I was hoping to have a word with you."

He turned around and faced her. She was looking at him intensely; staring at his face like she was trying to find something written there. But of course there was no hope of that. After a moment of silence, she continued, "I was surprised to see a Sheikah in Ganondorf's court. I'd thought Impa was the last. And when I found out you saved Kakariko, well, I wanted to thank you for that."

Sheik stiffened. Captain Fari sounded earnest, which was frightening. If she was a traitor and wanted Sheik's help, it would jeopardize Sheik's larger goal. "The king was generous." Sheik put a slight emphasis on ‘king,' he couldn't have anyone doubting his loyalty. 

Fari's eyebrow raised briefly at that, but she carried on. "You haven't been here long, so I might as well be the one to tell you. The king," Captain Fari also emphasized the title, accepting Sheik's chastisement, "is well aware that I have no loyalties to him. My only goal is to minimize the damage to Hyrule."

Hiding his surprise, Sheik thought about this. He also hoped to undermine and soften Ganondorf's blows to Hyrule whenever he could. However it wasn't his main goal, and was not worth blowing his cover. "I am surprised the king allows a traitor in his midst," he responded.

Fari let out a dry laugh. "Oh, he knows I'm no threat to him directly. Similar to what you pulled in Kakariko, I cut a deal with the devil. Shortly after Ganondorf--the king’s-- coup, the Hyrulean forces managed to gather and put up a fight. Captain Ross had already surrendered and crippled any resistance to his new master's invading forces. So by the time me and the remaining army officers gathered any sort of organized resistance, the Gerudo had arrived and the playing field evened." Her face grew dark. "It was a bloody battle, and Ganondorf continued to receive reinforcements. It became increasingly clear that, although we might be able to significantly reduce his army, we would not be able to remove Ganondorf from the throne."

The Captain ran her finger along the long point of a lance and stared into the reflection there. "I lost most of my friends to those battles. Eventually I was the only leader left. Despite our losses, my brave men believed we had a chance; that reinforcements would come. We’d hoped the Gorons would aid us, but none of our messengers ever returned from the mountains. On top of that, our messengers couldn't even get to the Zoras' domain. It soon became clear to me that we had lost.”

Without turning back to Sheik, certain he was listening, she continued sadly, “But what could I do? Let my people be slaughtered? Reluctantly, I accepted a negotiation offer from Captain Ross. He was a traitor, and my men hated him. In private, he offered me a deal. If I surrendered, joined him at Ganondorf's side, thus convincing the rest of the resisting Hylians that the battle was already won, then they would stop the open war. Ganondorf would stop the slaughter of Hylians across Hyrule Field and remain in Castle Town. I agreed to bring more Hylians to Ganondorf's command and manage them.”

Captain Fari now turned to face Sheik, her scarred face business-like. “It was a temporary arrangement—that was clear even as I accepted. I bargained for a year of peace, hoping that it would give time for our allies to gather." Captain Fari sighed and once again studied Sheik's face for a reaction. 

There was nothing to see, but Sheik was trying to understand why she was telling him this. She finished her tale. "Of course it didn't work. Ganondorf holed up the Gorons somehow and the Zoras haven't emerged at all, which is probably keeping them alive. Most of the Hylian army is now dead or under Ross and I. When I surrendered, the majority of Hylian opposition followed as Ross had predicted. I've done my best for years to keep the destruction of Hyrule to a minimum. However, now that there is hardly any Hylian opposition for me to talk down, my usefulness is over. I'm telling you all this because I knew Impa and respected her. If you are anything like her, and from the Kakariko report I'm hoping you are, I'm gambling that after I'm gone, you'll try to preserve Hyrule like I did. If I'm wrong . . . well, I haven't got much to lose."

With a wry smile on her twisted face, Captain Fari turned and left Sheik alone.


	42. The Problem

Sheik felt sick.

He couldn't be who Fari wanted him to be. He couldn't fight Ganondorf on that front. No, if anything he'd have to do the opposite. Every piece of Hyrule that Ganondorf took, was a piece Sheik would be able to search for the sages. He needed to be on the front lines. There wasn't any doubt in Sheik's mind that he would have to hurt good people to maintain his cover, and he had a sinking feeling Captain Fari might be one of them.

He walked out of the armory and headed back to his room. Fari might have given him a lot to think about, but he needed to face his current problem first. It seemed the whole castle was waiting for him to align with some faction or another. He prayed his talk with Fari wouldn't be enough to brand him as a Hyrulian loyalist. Sheik needed to find a way to be unattached to any side but the king’s. If word got out that Fari talked with him alone, and he had no doubt it would, he needed to counter any rumors. Luckily his original plan would probably do that quite well.

Since his mission with Captain Ruba, Sheik had decided that he needed to gain some respectability among the Gerudo. He didn't want to seem like he was trying to join them, but he needed to chisel away at the prejudice that kept him out of half of Ganondorf's forces. He needed to have his eyes and ears everywhere—and that included the Gerudo wing. He definitely didn't want them to like him; just not hate him quite so much. 

Having two Gerudo captains made things both simpler and harder. If he made moves to gain Gerudo respect, it couldn't be seen by the court as attaching himself to a particular Captain. The king was Gerudo too, after all. However, it also meant he would have two Captains trying to figure out what his game was.

And there was still the question of which Captain he would answer to. He had to get his orders from someone, and while answering to the king directly would be ideal, he doubted it was realistic in his current low status.

Arriving in his room, Sheik sat on the finely carved desk chair and organized his thoughts. One of his first priorities needed to be making sure Ganondorf kept his word about Kakariko. For all Sheik knew, it was a smoldering pile of ash. If it was destroyed, Sheik really couldn't give up his undercover mission, but he would need a new persona. 

Not to mention he might never be able to sleep again. 

If the village  _ did _ survive, Sheik intended to get his gear from Impa's house as soon as possible. He also felt strangely vulnerable without his harp. It still made his blood run cold when he thought of the possibility that it had been destroyed in the battle or by his captors. Yet another thing he’d have to ask his eventual handler about. But which Captain would that be?

His mind turned to the Gerudo captains who clearly had some animosity for each other. Maybe it had to do with age? While Sheik was, of course, much younger than anyone he had seen that wasn't a servant, Ruba was surprisingly young to hold such a high position. Sheik guessed she was in her mid-twenties; Naoku was at least twice that, though looked no less capable. 

As for the Hylians, he obviously needed to stay away from Captain Fari, and the idea of working with Captain Ross made him feel ill. Captain Ross was conniving and prideful. Of course, working under him could present some excellent opportunities; Sheik was sure he'd be able to manipulate Ross's pride and low opinion to his mission's benefit, but at too high a cost. He couldn't let Ross step on him or Ganondorf would see it as weakness. Plus Ross's self-serving nature went against Sheikah philosophy which was a large part of both Sheik's persona and true self. He needed Ganondorf to believe that Sheik was unquestionably loyal; that betrayal and disobedience went against his very nature. Ross wouldn't work at all. He also he didn't want to choose the Hylian side over the Gerudo. But he couldn't choose Gerudo over Hylian either . . .

Sheik felt a shiver of fear up his spine as he came to the only logical conclusion. It was perfect. A neutral race, undeniably loyal, and as mysterious as Sheik needed to be. Sheik hadn't been introduced to the fifth captain. He didn't know his name or if he even had one. All he knew was that the giant armored stalfos had stood at Ganondorf's table with the other captains and was Sheik's best chance.


	43. The Solution

_ Do stalfos even talk? What if he isn't a captain? _ Sheik's plan seemed less brilliant as he walked down the dark and strangely chilly hallways of the outer wall. He had no idea where to find the stalfos captain, but he was determined to ask the next skeletal figure he saw.  _ At least if I make a fool of myself, no one will know . . . no one living at least. _

As the expected undead patrol rounded the corner, Sheik felt his stomach flip. It still felt  _ wrong _ to not immediately attack. He  _ had _ to get over that if he was going to be reporting to a stalfos from now on.

Sheik deliberately stood right in the stalfos' way and waited to see what happened. It marched right up to him and then stopped. Right as it began to lower its spear, Sheik spoke, "Please direct me to your captain."

The skeletal face seemed to grin even more and then inclined its head and turned around. Sheik followed, still worried the lung-less beings were mute.  _ Not that I don't have any experience with mute mentors, _ he thought dryly.

His silent guide led him down to the backside of the castle, always staying in the outer walls. They were nearing the hall that led to Ganondorf's throne room and tower but passed it and the stalfos took the next turn. A few paces farther and the undead soldier stopped in front of a large wooden door. Trying his best to hide any hesitation, Sheik stepped forward and rapped on the door.

It opened soundlessly and of its own accord.

The revealed room was very dimly lit by two iron braziers on the wall. The low light revealed the hulking iron form of the stalfos Sheik had seen in Ganondorf's throne room. Initially the armored form was facing away from the door, but it straightened and turned, its glowing red eyes looking down at Sheik who felt quite small. Then to his great relief, the giant spoke. Its white jaws didn't move, but the raspy deep voice filled the deadly quiet room.

"Ahhh . . . .Sheikah. Why have you left the realm of the living?"

_ Humor? Maybe. If so, a good sign. _

Sheik gave the traditional Sheikah salute, hand covering the eye on his chest. "We have not been properly introduced. As you know, I am Sheik of the Sheikah Tribe. I have only recently arrived and am awaiting orders."

The pause before the voice came again seemed longer in the cold, dark silence, but it did return to fill the room. "And you came here? Interesting. I am Captain Knuckle, commander of the king's most loyal troops."

Sheik’s pounding heart slowed, Captain Knuckle was exactly what he’d hoped. No one could contend with the loyalty of Ganondorf's undead army, and that loyalty was precisely why Sheik wanted to be here. "A pleasure to meet you, Captain. Having completed my first mission so immediately after my . . . arrival, I haven't had a chance to retrieve my equipment. I would like to return to Kakariko to do so."

The Captain's red eyes glowed out of the darkness of his helmet. Sheik had seen his skull in the better lit throne room, but now it seemed there was nothing but darkness in the iron suit that stood towering over him. There was a pause that Sheik hoped meant the Captain was considering his request. "Very well, you have my permission to go, but report back here at noon tomorrow."

"Yes, sir." Sheik gave another salute as the Captain turned back to whatever it was he was doing before.

As Sheik walked farther away from Captain Knuckle's office and Ganondorf's wing, he noticed something strange. He had been too nervous and occupied in thought before, but now that he was leaving, Sheik noticed an ominous, heavy feeling. It seemed to permeate the area near Ganondorf’s wing. As he stepped back into the inner parts of the castle and saw a servant walking hurriedly down a hall, he let out a sigh of relief as the unnatural fear dissolved away. Every muscle in his body was tense. He took a moment to force himself to relax a bit, uncomfortable with what that aura did to him. Could it be dark magic? Whatever it was, Sheik committed to train himself to counter it.

His meeting with the Captain had gone better than he'd hoped. He had almost a full day before he had to be back. Plenty of time to fetch his things, check on Kakariko, and start his next plan.


	44. The Village

Sheik wasted no time getting to Kakariko. The guards at the exit whispered and gave each other an uneasy look. He was sure they would report his leaving. It didn't matter, he had permission and he wanted the other captains to know who he'd gone to to get it.

He couldn't help but think about the last time he climbed the wide white steps to Kakariko. Once again, his stomach twisted with the idea that there might not be a village around the corner. Even if there was, what would the villagers say?

Maybe he should have come at night, retrieved his gear, and left undetected...but he couldn't do that, he had other plans for tonight. So he rounded the corner.

The village was still there, albeit a bit worse for wear. At least one home had been burned down by Ganondorf’s forces, but wood—probably from the perpetually un-finished construction site—was organized by the ruins for rebuilding. Several homes had freshly patched roofs. Without Ganondorf magically extinguishing the flames, there was no doubt the whole village would have burned.

A loud shrill whistle caught Sheik's attention and he looked up. The watchtower’s occupant was blowing some sort of alarm.

_ Oh boy . . .  _

There was a short scream and the sound of shouting. Sheik stayed at the entrance of the town and waited as the ragtag mob formed. They must have raided the old Death Mountain guardhouse, because three of the men—including the red and blue shirted brothers—had real spears. The rest of the small mob had makeshift weapons, pitchforks, or brooms with knives tied to the ends.

The blue shirted brother was the first to say something as the group, having made a semi-circle around Sheik, hesitated, unsure of what to do. "Hey you're that Sheekie guy! I thought you were dead."

He lowered his spear, but his brother yelled out, "He was the one talking to Ganondorf. He was being real polite about it too. He didn't even flinch when they murdered the guy who saved Anju!"

The mob began to murmur and debate over what to do. Sheik was beginning to lose patience. Other than the brothers, the only other people he recognized in the mob were two men from the construction crew Impa hired years ago. "I am Sheik of the Sheikah. This is my home and I have negotiated with the king on its behalf."

A few more people were beginning to gather behind the mob. A stuttering voice came from behind them. "T—that's true. I heard him talking with G—ganondorf."

_ Hylia bless you, Anju. _

Anju, known to many of the village as the cucco lady, had been one of the unfortunate hostages present when Sheik made his deal with the king. And as one of the original village occupants, she naturally knew him and Impa.

The mob seemed to accept her words and they lowered their weapons. Most dispersed, but many were still eyeing him suspiciously, the red shirt brother for one and also . . . 

_ Oh no. _

Talon's white face was sweating as he held a pointing finger up at Sheik. His mouth opened and closed soundlessly like a fish. When Sheik locked eyes with him, Talon turned and began to run. He ducked into a house and those who had seen looked back at Sheik in confusion. Sheik would deal with Talon later. Especially since the fool had run right into Impa's house. Sheik scanned the crowd again until he found who he was looking for, an old man who was respected by the village. Sheik walked up to speak with him.

"For now, the village should be safe from the king's forces. Keep everyone here. I made a deal and he agreed to leave Kakariko in peace. I won't stay here long, but I’ll come back some day."

The old man nodded, but looked at Sheik confused; like Sheik was a stranger. It made Sheik uncomfortable, but he brushed it aside. It had, after all, been five years since he had been here as a child and he was, no doubt, different. Still he would have thought the elder would have recognized him by his Sheikah tabard . . . 

Not wanting to stay in the village and agitate its nervous inhabitants any more, Sheik strode quickly towards Impa's home. He didn't really want to go through the front door, because Talon would almost definitely scream, but it’d be strange to go through the balcony way with the village watching him. With a sigh, he opened the door.

" _ Nooooo!!!  _ Please don't hurt me! I did everything you asked! Noooo!" Talon backed away from the door, knocking over a chair and falling to the floor in the process.

Sheik could hear the pacified mob getting riled again and he said loudly, "I'm not here to hurt you. I have a message for you from Malon. If you want to hear it, stop screaming and making a mess in my house."

Talon shut up. He stared at the Sheikah eye emblazoned on the walls of the house and then at the one on Sheik's chest. He looked ready to faint. Trusting the villagers’ inability to make quick decisions, Sheik stepped inside and shut the door. If he could prevent Talon from screaming again, he didn't doubt it would be a few minutes before anyone worked up the courage to come inside and investigate. 

Many villagers had viewed him suspiciously and there were also some who looked at him with fear. No doubt because of his bloody participation in the battle. While Sheik wanted the villagers to see him as an ally and protector, Talon knew Ganondorf's Sheik.

"Don't scream again," Sheik said. His voice was low and cold.

Poor Talon was white as a sheet. However, when Sheik didn't get any closer he managed to pull himself together and ask, "You said you had a message from Malon? Is she safe?"

Sheik slowly walked up to the table and reached down and picked up the fallen chair. Talon stiffened, but stayed where he was. Sheik gestured for Talon to sit in the chair and placed himself in the opposite seat. Although not taking the proffered seat, Talon did stand up and mustering his limited courage, asked again, "Is my daughter safe?"

His tenacity surprised Sheik,  _ Maybe this whole ordeal will do Talon some good. _ "Sit down. Your daughter was fine last I saw her. Upset at your disappearance, but healthy and safe."

Talon sank into the chair. "What did we do to deserve this? I just want to see my daughter again. I can't even trust your word that she's safe."

"No, I suppose not,” Sheik said. “I do admit I lied when I said I had a message from her. However, I am willing to take one to her, from you."

Watery eyes narrowed suspiciously as Talon processed what Sheik had said. And he asked "Why are you here?" 

Sheik let out a small chuckle. "Like I said, this  _ is  _ my house." He needed Talon's cooperation for his plan to work, but he couldn't let Talon know that. Sheik stood up walking towards the ladder that led to the loft area. "If you want to send a message to your daughter I suggest you hurry and write it. I'm not staying long. Paper and ink are on the bookshelf."

He quickly scaled the ladder, relieved to see his pack still sitting ready by the window. He was even more relieved when he heard Talon begin to write. Swinging his pack onto his back, Sheik descended again. Talon was still scribbling furiously. Sheik opened one of the chests, retrieving a few bolts of cloth and doing his best to shove them in his pack. He didn't know when he would be able to come back and there were still light bloodstains on his tabard. Plus, it was only a matter of time before he outgrew his current outfit.

Finished packing, Sheik stepped up behind Talon and read the letter over his shoulder. It assured Malon that he was safe for now, that he loved her, and that he wouldn't have left if there had been any other way. Talon was cautious enough not to have written where he was, although he had included what he probably thought were some clever hints. 

Sheik considered having him rewrite it, but changed his mind. Talon's attempts would make the letter undeniably authentic and Malon wouldn't be able to do much with the information. At some point in the writing, Talon had started crying silently and a few large tear drops had landed on the paper. Sheik said nothing and waited a few moments for Talon to finish, hovering uncomfortably close to encourage him to hurry.

When Talon finally paused, uncertain what to say next, Sheik snatched the paper and tucked it into his pocket. Talon's large fist balled around the small quill he held and for a moment, Sheik thought he was going to try to hit him. Instead he just growled, "Why are you doing this?"

Surprised once again by Talon's slight defiance, Sheik gave him a long, cold look before answering, "That is not for you to know. But there are some things you must know. This village is the only safe place in Hyrule. One day Malon might join you here, so stay here and alive until then. It is only safe because  _ I _ make it so. Your life and hers are still dependent on my wishes. Have you told anyone here what happened?"

Talon hesitated, but a sharp look made him change his mind about trying to lie. "Just the village elder. I had to or they wouldn't let me in."

Sheik thought about this and then nodded. "Alright. Tell no one else. Just lay low and I may return with a message from Malon."

The brief courage Talon had summoned disappeared and he slumped into his seat and nodded.

Turning away and opening the door, Sheik worried about the ex-ranch owner. At this rate, he could snap and cause trouble. If he left the village in a deluded attempt to see his daughter, it would raise too many questions about Sheik's methods. Captain Ruba hadn't asked what had happened to Malon's father and it was best if she continued to assume Sheik had killed him. Sheik would have to keep Talon and Malon content enough with their situations that they didn't try anything that would get them killed.

Half the village was still whispering outside Impa's house and Sheik deliberately left the door open so they could see Talon was unharmed. With a nod towards the elder, who nodded back, still with that confused look on his face, Sheik left the village once again.


	45. Malon

The gates of the ranch were closed by the time Sheik made his way there. Unconcerned, Sheik scaled them easily and dropped to the other side. The lower window of the house was lit and, standing in the shadows of the barn, Sheik could see Ingo leaning over some papers, occasionally waving his hand like he was making a point. No doubt he was talking to himself again.

Sheik heard a soft sob and crept around the corner of the barn. Malon was crying as she rubbed down one of the horses. Sheik slunk back and decided to visit Ingo first.

He opened the door and shut it behind him. Ingo whirled around. "Who the—Oh Mister . . . ahh . . . " Ingo searched for the name, but nothing came. 

"Sheik."

"Mister Sheik, sir, what an unexpected surprise! Everything is going very well,” Ingo said as he shuffled through the stack of papers on the desk. “I have a list of the horses ready for sale here. I've worked out very reasonable prices for them. Only covering the cost of raising them, of course. There are a few things still to do but I think. . . "

Letting Ingo babble, Sheik looked around the room. The cuccos were gone, no doubt stashed in the barn. The kitchen was a bit of a mess and there were two broken pieces of crockery swept in the corner. Sheik wondered if Malon or Ingo had broken them.  _ Either way, _ he thought,  _ the two must still be getting used to their new lives. _

" . . . and of course Malon is still here. I haven't let her out of my sights unless the gate is firmly closed."

"Good,” Sheik said, turning back to Ingo. “Don't forget the terms of our agreement. I expect you to present Epona to the king soon. I see you still need some time to work out the details. I, or another representative of the king, will be back for her. Continue your good work, I have some things to discuss with Malon."

Ingo bowed low and Sheik nodded and left. Hopefully he was still too frightened of Sheik to be curious about what he was doing.

Sheik walked towards the barn and rounded the corner . . . right in front of Malon. She dropped the bucket she had been holding and her eyes grew wide. There was still a dark red line on her cheek where Sheik's needle had grazed her.

_ Here we go again. _

Before she could recover, Sheik's hand shot forward and grabbed her arm. He pulled her towards him with one hand and used the other to place a finger on her lips. "I'm not here to hurt you. Don't yell; I don't want Ingo interrupting us."

With an expression eerily familiar to Epona's, Malon looked like she might bite Sheik's finger. Instead she spat at him. He moved in time to avoid it and twisted her arm, forcing her to bend over. She let out a small whimper of pain.

"If you can be civil and listen to me, I'll tell you if your father's alive." He said in a low voice.

At that, Malon went limp and crumpled to the ground. She lightly tugged her arm and Sheik let her go. She pulled her knees to her chest and muttered, "Oh what did we do to deserve this?"

"Your father asked the exact same thing. He's alive by the way."

Malon looked up at Sheik, her normally pale blue eyes shone dark in the dusk light. "You might be lying."

Sheik pulled the letter out of his pocket. "I'm not. I have a letter he wrote for you today when I saw him."

Hope lit up her face and she sprang up, reaching for the letter which Sheik re-pocketed. "Ah, there's something you have to do for me before I give this to you."

Her eyes narrowed and her fingers curled into fists. "What else could you possibly want? You've already ruined my life."

Giving her a thin smile Sheik answered, "Don't worry it's nothing you can't handle. In exchange for this letter, and a chance to respond to it, I want you to teach me how to ride a horse."

There was an awkward pause and Malon's mouth hung open until she began to laugh. "You . . . can't ride a horse?!"

Sheik was a little taken aback and scolded himself for not seeing this coming. He spent all this time building himself up as this deadly, horrible person and then he tells her he can't do the thing she was probably born knowing how to do. That could be a problem.

"Not yet." He tried to make his voice disapproving and cold, but her laughing at him seemed to take away all his authority. Now he just felt like a fourteen-year-old boy being laughed at by a fourteen-year-old girl. It wouldn't do at all. He pulled out the letter again and began to rip it.

"No, wait! I'll teach you." She spoke quickly, but Sheik still detected some mirthful disdain in her voice. He nodded and once again tucked the letter away.

"Good. Let's get started."


	46. Lessons

Sheik did his best not to show any of his nervousness as he climbed up on the large mare Malon had led in front of him. Although he hoped to be able to ride bareback eventually, the mare had a light saddle on and Sheik gripped the pommel. He could feel the horse breathing and when she shifted her weight, he tried not to flinch at how much the motion moved him. Malon took the reins and began to lead the horse around the track. This wasn't so bad. Sheik could feel every time the horse's hooves hit the ground and he began to move with the rhythm.

Malon released the reins. "Ok, let's try a trot. Marla knows her way around the track so don't try steering or you'll just throw her off."

There was barely time for Sheik to catch the evil glint in Malon's eye as she gave Marla a tug on her bridle and she began to speed up.

The rhythm completely changed. Sheik bounced up and down painfully. He tried to grip with his legs but was propelled off the side. He managed to twist and land on his shoulder and into a roll, but he had no doubt he'd still be bruised.

He heard a giggle and then a sharp whistle and Marla came trotting back. Sheik carefully watched the horse's gait as it returned. He could tell where the bounce came from. There were points where Marla's whole body dropped and rose. How was he supposed to not be thrown by that bounce? He stalked back over to where Malon was waiting with her ally, who was happily nibbling some treat from her hand.

"Explain," Sheik demanded. He refused to get back up without any instruction. He was not here to amuse Malon.

"First off, were you breathing?" 

Of course he was—or was he? Sheik thought back to when he started to feel the change. He had held his breath. "Ok, so keep breathing. What else?"

"Use your legs as little as possible. To reduce bouncing you have to sit deeply."

"'Sit deeply? What does that mean?"

"It means you try to sit more into the saddle. Like, you're more on your pelvis. But you have to make sure your posture is still good. Try to keep your head, shoulders, and hips aligned."

Malon had started giving her instructions in a condescending tone, but soon Sheik could hear the passion in her voice. She probably never gets to talk to anyone about horses so much.  _ Good. If she ends up enjoying teaching me, all the better for me. _

"Alright, back up you go," Malon said.

Sheik swung easily back into the saddle; he tried to position himself like Malon had said. Soon Marla was back into a trot and his lessons continued.

_ Ow. _

Sheik rolled back onto his feet, having fallen off the horse  _ again _ . This was his sixth time falling off. Although the calm Marla didn't seem to purposefully want to trample him, he had to quickly roll out from under her hooves to avoid being crushed. He noticed Malon never did anything to prevent that situation. She did, however, continue to give him advice and despite his bruises, he did get farther and farther each time.

He was beginning to feel what she meant about using his back and abdomen to sort of jump with the horse. Marla had been moving pretty fast this last time and Sheik had stayed on until the turn. His back was beginning to burn from the strain on his muscles, though. Brushing himself off, he made his way back to Malon.

She gripped her shawl closer and shivered in the cool night air. The chill felt wonderful to the hot and sweaty Sheik, but Malon was tired and cold. Sheik thought about calling it a night, but he didn't know how often he'd be able to make it back and needed to go as long as he could.

"It's too dark for you to be able to see me, maybe if you ride with me you can tell me what I'm doing wrong." _ Hopefully that will keep you awake. _

Malon nodded tiredly and walked to the stables. Sheik remounted Marla and waited.

Soon there was an oh-too-familiar whinny and Sheik's equine nemesis came galloping towards him. Malon reigned Epona in and she obediently slowed and stood by Marla. The horse and Sheik eyed each other coldly and Malon bit back a smile.

"Alright, let's go,” Malon said. “Just give Marla a small kick and she'll move into a trot. You go first."

Sheik nodded and as he shifted into position, Marla started to walk. After he put a bit of distance between Epona and himself, he gave Marla the signal. She started to trot and he moved up and down with her, controlling his movement and staying in position. She sped up and it got harder. Sheik was concentrating so much he didn't notice the extra sound of pounding hooves until Epona and Malon were right behind him. They moved to the side and passed him. Malon was grinning and Epona raised her head and let out a shrill challenge.  _ I am the ruler here and you don't stand a chance,  _ she seemed to say before picking up speed and leaving Sheik in her dust.

Marla naturally sped up too and Sheik did his best to stay on. He was in rhythm with her and was feeling confident. They reached the turn of the track and suddenly, Sheik was in the air. He twisted and managed to land on his feet, sliding in the dirt. There was a sharp pain on his forehead and warm blood dribbled down. A pebble, kicked by Marla's retreating hooves, had struck him above his left eye. He made his way back to the stable where his pack was. He pressed his hand against the cut, hoping it wasn't getting all over his clothes again. By the time Malon and the horses returned, Sheik was pressing a moss filled cloth against the wound. He was pretty sure the rock had just broken the skin, but there was a lot of blood.

It was very dark and Sheik couldn't quite make out Malon's face as she stepped towards him. He'd been thinking about the turn and realized there had been a shift in the rhythm. He suspected that's what had sent him flying. "Why did turning the corner throw me off?"

Malon left the horses and leaned in towards Sheik to get a better look at him. He saw her blue eyes widen as she saw the bloody bandage. Her mouth moved as if to ask him something, but then her lips pressed together and she leaned back.

"You have to pay attention to a horse's leading leg. If they're leading with the leg that's near the inner turn, you'll be fine. If not, they will switch leading legs naturally which throws off the rhythm. Either make sure they are leading with the correct leg by circling before setting off, or be prepared for the extra beat as they switch at the turn."

Sheik nodded. Then he reached into his pocket and handed Talon's letter to Malon. "Here. I'll be back soon for more lessons. If it goes well, I'll take a letter from you back to him."

Malon took the letter but continued to stare at Sheik. He'd thought she would have read it immediately but she didn't. Her eyes kept flicking up to where Sheik was still pressing the cut. Was she feeling sorry for him? It was just a small cut . . . 

No, Sheik realized, these lessons were a bigger risk than he'd thought. By spending so much time with someone, especially in such a vulnerable way, he was becoming a person. That wasn't good. His main defense and weapon was being inhuman, mysterious, and unapproachable. All Malon needed to think of him was that he was evil and a servant of Ganondorf. Sheik walked closer to where the horses were.

Epona glared at Sheik in the darkness. That was how Malon should be looking at him. He tilted his head as if thinking and then said, "Epona was part of my agreement with Ingo. Someone should be by soon to collect her for the king. Make sure she is ready. Goodnight, Malon."

Sheik ran towards the house, and in a few leaps, scaled it and flipped over the wall. He didn't turn around, but he knew that Malon's eyes had once again turned to ice as she watched her enemy leave her invaded home.


	47. Suspicions

It was getting close to dawn when Sheik arrived at the castle. He considered returning to his room and getting some rest, but the deserted training ground was too good of an opportunity to miss. He removed the Gerudo recurve bow from where he'd strapped it to his pack and then attached the quiver to his waist. Even though the training ground was in the center of the castle and there was a good chance someone might see him training, Sheik guessed he'd at least have a few shots before he was noticed. If he was terrible, he'd switch to his daggers; he couldn't have anyone see him fail after all.

He tested the weight of the bow, careful not to let his fingers slip and dry fire. It was heavily weighted, but Sheik was confident he could handle it. He took an arrow from the quiver and placed it. It was odd that the movement felt so natural. He had only tried shooting a bow a few times. He stood straighter and held the bow up. Then he drew back, his fingers brushing his cheek. He aimed at the straw target and released. 

The arrow whistled through the air and embedded itself an inch in from the edge of the target. Sheik bit his lip in pain. The bowstring had glanced off the side of his forearm painfully. Sheik scolded himself, he knew better than that. He'd made the same painful mistake months ago when he had tried Impa’s hunting bow in the forest.

Trying to be sneaky since Impa was opposed to him touching the bow for some reason, he’d taken the weapon at night and planned to practice on his own. His yelp of pain had woken her up and she had given him her stern reprimanding look before pulling him back to the camp to hand him a piece of equipment he'd never paid attention to before. The strip of leather had two straps on each end and Impa demonstrated how to put it on his arm right where the string had hit. Then she'd given him that odd look. He'd seen it a few times; like she was trying to make sense of Sheik. It was a mix of puzzled and sad that Sheik had feared meant he had disappointed her. Yet that night, whatever had been going through her mind resolved, she handed him the bow back and waved him away. He had practiced for the rest of the week but stopped after that. He couldn't really explain why, just that whenever Impa saw him with a bow she looked sad, and Sheik felt guilty.

Sheik would have to acquire another strap since that one had been in Impa's pack. For now, he quickly wrapped some extra cloth around his arm and prayed no one had noticed. Then he tried another arrow. This one barely made it closer to the center than the first. He gave a  _ tsk  _ of annoyance; with Impa’s bow he had always at least made the second ring; Asoka  _ had _ said these bows were less forgiving. He tried again, carefully timing the release with his breathing so it didn't affect the bow. He got closer this time.  _ I can do this! _

After retrieving his dozen arrows for the fourth time, Sheik called it a night. The sun was steadily rising and he wanted to get some sleep before reporting back to Captain Knuckle. As he left the training yard, he saw the other Gerudo captain, Naoku, watching him. He gave her a nod and she returned the courtesy. She had an amused look on her face, but Sheik could tell she was studying him intently. He wondered if he'd get a visit from her as well and was glad his shooting hadn’t embarrassed him.

He entered his room and when the door clicked shut there was a startled squeak and the maid dropped the breakfast platter. She’d had her back to the door and Sheik had been too busy thinking about Naoku and had forgotten how skittish the servant was. She whirled around and her hands flew to her mouth as she saw Sheik there. Her gaze was fixed above his eyes and Sheik realized that once again he had arrived bloodied. After a second, the girl started babbling apologies, leaned down and started to clean up the scattered crockery. The main plate had already been placed on the desk, but a cup of milk and what Sheik guessed was his dinner last night had spilled. He felt awkward as she trembled and cleaned up the mess. He couldn't lean down and help her, but she was also blocking the path into the room.

Someone like Captain Ross would probably have yelled at her or punished her. Ruba would definitely have insulted her clumsiness. Sheik thought about who he was in her eyes and decided to say nothing. Instead he crossed his arms and watched her. He'd noticed already how uncomfortable Hylians were with his red eyes, they often couldn't hold his gaze yet they would stare at his face when they thought he wasn't looking. The girl shakily gathered the mess and used her apron to dry the floor. Then she nervously stood up, staring down. Sheik was now blocking her way. "I—I'm sorry. I'll b—be more careful."

Sheik nodded, "I hope so. What is your name?"

As he expected, the question made her even more panicked; she seemed to shrink under his gaze. She looked about a year or two younger than Sheik, and he couldn't help but wonder how she'd come into this position.

"L-Leigha, sir."

Sheik nodded again, filing that information away. Then he stepped to the side. "Are you the only one who tends this room?"

She nodded, still staring at the floor. Her brown bangs hiding her eyes.

"Alright, bring me a bucket of water and a towel as quick as you can."

"Yes, sir," Leigha breathed as she slipped past Sheik and left. Sheik wondered how fast she'd be back. She no doubt wanted nothing more than to never be back in a closed room with him again. Was she the daughter of one of the Hylian troops? A former resident of Castle Town with few options? Was she a slave?

Sheik wished he could just ask her, but he'd learned his lesson from Malon. It was too easy for him to lose his threatening shroud of mystery. However, it was good to know how many people had access to his room and who they were. Leigha didn't seem capable of assassination or espionage. Although, if her situation was dire, who knew what someone could convince her to do? Would escape from the castle be enough? Was she here of her own free will? Sheik added her to his ever growing list of variables and then began to pull things out of his bulging pack.

Once Sheik had his weapons stowed, his extra clothes folded away, and his pack reduced to a mission ready state, he began to feel more at home in his room. He was just finishing up the meal Leigha had left when there was a small knock on the door. 

"Come in," Sheik called. Leigha walked in lugging a bucket of water and a towel over her shoulder. Without turning towards her, Sheik pointed to the space between the wardrobe and the desk, near where his mirror was. "Put it down there."

When he heard the bucket thud to the floor he turned around. Leigha quickly dropped her gaze, but Sheik could tell she had been staring at him. He walked towards the bucket and she quickly stepped back and began collecting his plate. Ignoring her, he reached for the towel she had left hanging on the chair. He dipped it in the water and started cleaning the blood off his face. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her glancing at him. She moved to the door and hesitated for just a moment, giving him one more look before exiting quickly.

With a few more dabs of the towel, Sheik finished cleaning his wound and looked at the scabbed cut with satisfaction. With the excess blood cleaned off, the evidence of his injury was almost gone. The cut itself was mostly hidden by his bangs. Sheik ran the wet towel behind his neck and wiped away the dried sweat there. He thought about Leigha; she'd been back as quickly as Sheik figured it would take to get to the kitchen, then the well and back, so her job was a higher priority than her fears. 

He didn't know if Leigha would ever come in handy for any plans he might have, but keeping a close eye on someone who would inevitably see him more than most was important. Like Malon and her father, Sheik needed to stay in control of as much as possible. He winced as he lowered himself into bed; his legs and back ached from his equestrian training. He let himself drift off into a light sleep to burn time before noon.


	48. The Last Captain

Sheik got up about an hour before noon. He thought about the report he would give to the captain as he stretched out his cramped muscles. He needed to get back out to Lon Lon as soon, and as much, as possible in the next week. Then he needed an opening to get out to the Gerudo desert and complete the Gerudo horseback archery trial. His parting jab at Malon had given him an idea of how to return to Lon Lon, but for the desert he would need Gerudo help.

Sheik left his room and walked towards the outer corridor. He passed the training grounds, noting Captain Ross commanding a battalion of men there. He had to admit, they looked impressive. Decked out in full armor, with glittering spears and unified movement, the troops followed Ross's commands into various formations. How different they were from the Gerudo! 

From what Sheik had seen, the Gerudo fought individually; they chose their own targets and rarely worked together to take down a foe. However, all Gerudo seemed to have extensive training that could only come from starting young. Many, like Ruba, also seemed to have specialized and developed their own style. Though there was some standard: dual blades seemed a common favorite and many Gerudo carried their recurve bows. While the Hylians trusted in their armor and formations, the Gerudo valued speed and agility. Perhaps that's why Sheik felt more comfortable with their combat methods. 

He'd just reached the door that led to the dark outer corridors when he noticed Naoku again. She made eye contact with him and raised her hand, curling her finger to beckon him over.

Sheik couldn’t refuse a captain and he still had time before he needed to report to Captain Knuckle. He made his way around the courtyard until he approached the elder Gerudo captain. He gave her the Sheikah salute and bowed slightly. "Is there something I can do for you, Captain Naoku?"

"Yes, you can tell me where you were last night."

"I returned to my village to retrieve my equipment."

"I suppose you did leave your home rather quickly, did you not?"

Sheik knew the less said about that battle and his words with Ganondorf the better, so he merely nodded. Naoku watched him carefully. "Many of my warriors were disappointed when the king called off the attack on Kakariko. It had been quite a while since they'd had a chance to spill Hylian blood."

"From what I have seen of our king's plans, there still seems to be plenty of opportunity for us to serve."

Naoku brushed some non-existing dust off her arm, "Yes, I thought to console them with the little ranch in the middle of the field, but I hear you spoiled that as well."

"I did as my king ordered, and chose the most valuable course." Sheik said calmly.

"Hmm,” Naoku murmured through pursed lips. “I doubt the value of such a pathetic little ranch."

"You may be surprised. I've heard the Gerudo appreciate fine horses. And I do have the grudging word of Captain Ruba that Lon Lon's beasts are a superior breed." Disgust crossed Naoku's face when he mentioned Ruba, and the strength of the reaction piqued Sheik’s interest. There was definitely bad blood between the captains.  _ But why? _

"I still have my doubts." She said disinterestedly, taking a moment to glance at the training Hylians.

"Well, I will do my best to quell those doubts.” Sheik said with a slight nod, “I was on my way to my captain and was going to bring up a matter involving Lon Lon Ranch. There is a particularly powerful horse there that the owner planned to present as a gift to Lord Ganondorf. I'm sure the second opinion of its worth by a member of his people would be welcome."

If Naoku was taken aback by Sheik's boldness, she didn't show it. She seemed to consider his words before answering. "If Ruba is right about the mare, it would be a sight to see. If not, then my warriors get their fun. In fact, I will fetch the Horsemaster herself. In one week, we visit the ranch and see its reported 'value.'"

Sheik didn't miss the challenge she was issuing. She could easily undermine his first mission and, in doing so, his position. Obviously, she didn't want Sheik here and he got the sense that she was already unhappy with how little she was in control in Hyrule. As a matter of fact, Sheik was picking up a lot of dissatisfaction from the captain. The way she glanced at Ross's power display in the yard, the way she openly doubted her sister captain, and her obvious desire for something to do. Did it have to do with Ganondorf's lack of movement? What was holding him here in the castle anyway?

"Very well, Captain Naoku, I will assure the ranch is ready for your visit. Now excuse me, I must report to my captain."

Naoku's informants had no doubt informed her of which captain he'd chosen. So, with that last reminder of his victory in removing himself from the faction war, Sheik bowed and left.


	49. Captain Ruba

"Very well,” Captain Knuckles said in his ethereal voice that boomed through the dark doorway where Sheik stood. “You may oversee the ranch's preparations on the condition that you be in the castle from dawn to noon to be ready for any missions."

Sheik was pleased. His Captain's cooperation was more than he could hope for, but he felt another catch coming. Sure enough, the captain continued in a more serious tone.

"You will also report in detail regarding Captain Naoku's involvement and actions."

Sheik accepted the condition, but still felt doubt and nervousness twist his stomach. Direct espionage against a captain, it was risky. He was just glad it was Captain Knuckles asking so he knew it was not a personal vendetta but a direct order from Ganondorf. The skeletal captain couldn't care less about the living. He saw them as Sheik suspected Ganondorf did: as pawns.

"Of course, sir," Sheik responded before turning to leave the room. As he left, Sheik felt dark thoughts about the devastating risks he was taking swirl in his mind as he walked down the corridor. He now expected the dark aura's effect but still had no way to combat it. As he finally stepped into the sunlight, he felt color return to his face.

Now able to think straight, Sheik considered his plans for the week. He would train with Malon every night, practice archery if he could, and when the Horsemaster arrived, he would ask to be given the trial. Things were working out well.

He was getting close to his room where he planned to pick up his bow and arrows to practice, when he noticed Captain Ruba leaning on the wall by his door, an annoyed look on her face.  _ Uh oh.  _

"Good afternoon, Captain Ruba."

The Gerudo wasted no time with pleasantries. She stuck a finger in Sheik's unflinching face. "You invited Captain Naoku to the ranch?!"

Sheik noted that unlike Naoku, Ruba used her fellow officer's title. 

"I did," Sheik said, maintaining eye contact with the captain. Ruba looked ready to cut Sheik down. 

"Do you have any idea what that means?" she hissed.

"That she doesn't trust your or my work, that she's anxious to make a move, and that she's hoping to undermine your position," Sheik responded calmly.

Although she was taken aback by his blunt words, the fury doubled in the Ruba's face and she moved as if to grab Sheik's tabard. Before she could, he dropped and rolled backwards, returning to his feet a few paces farther away.

"Captain, I have no wish to oppose you. However, as you are well aware, the Lon Lon mission is the foundation of my position here. If I cannot maintain it, I am lost. Did you not hope the same thing when I started the mission? That I would fail and the ranch and I be destroyed?"

Although the anger did not fade from her eyes, Captain Ruba seemed to regain some restraint. "You are playing a very dangerous game, boy. Since you have insisted on dragging me into it, I will warn you not to underestimate Captain Naoku. She gained her position in the traditional Gerudo way, through cunning and superior strength in battle. She hates Hyrule and wants nothing more than to slaughter every Hylian here. I doubt she'd ever agree anything Hylian is superior. If your actions cause me any embarrassment, I will personally kill you and hang your head from my door."

Although Sheik would rather not have to fight Ruba, her threats didn't fill him with dread like when he had seen Ganondorf's power. He held his head high. "I will not fail. A Sheikah's mission is his life. If the captain gets the better of me I will gladly await the fate you have for me." Sheik's hard eyes met Ruba's and they stared each other down.

Then Ruba's face changed and, with a harrumph, she relaxed. She gave him one last look before walking away and Sheik thought he saw approval there.

_ Whew! The Gerudo are an intense people. _ He went over their conversation carefully in his mind, dissecting every word and tone. Ruba had told him a lot. Her use of Naoku's title and comment about the Gerudo status told him that Ruba was inferior to Naoku in ability, possibly due only to experience. That meant that although they technically ranked the same, Ruba would constantly be clawing for respect among her own people. But there was something else: her comment about Naoku's hatred of Hylians was interesting. That was obvious and expected, so why did Ruba feel the need to mention it? There was an unsaid 'unlike me.' Yet Sheik knew Ruba also held a prejudice and hatred for Hylians. So why?

_ Ahh. _

It wasn't that Naoku had a hatred for Hylians, it was that her hatred was her top priority. When Ruba made the distinction between herself and Naoku, she meant a difference in priority. If Naoku’s priority was Hylian destruction, what did Ruba hold as most important? 

Sheik thought about the time he'd spent with her on his mission.  _ Loyalty. _ From what he'd seen of the captains, after Knuckles, Ruba held the greatest loyalty towards Ganondorf. Sheik wondered if that's why Ganondorf had sent her with him; he was sure she'd give an honest report. Ruba was challenging Naoku's loyalty with her word. Her bitterness stemmed from being socially outranked by someone who she saw as an unfit servant.  _ Interesting . . . _

If Ruba valued loyalty to Ganondorf above all else, maybe she would be the first to accept Sheik. If serving the Dark King was more important than his race, age, or gender, it wouldn't be long before Sheik won her respect. As the one with the most to lose, Ruba would also probably be the easiest to manipulate.

Sheik retrieved the bow and headed to the training ground where Ross's troops were filing away. He chose a target near the edge and began to shoot. As the arrows grew closer and closer to the bull's eye he allowed himself a hidden smile.


	50. The Bet

In four days, Sheik had successfully ridden at a trot and gallop around the track. Today he'd brought his bow. He had kept his word and continued to deliver letters between Malon and her father, but Malon had been suspiciously quiet. Sheik had no doubt she was up to something, but didn't have time to figure out what it was. Her letters revealed nothing, so Talon wasn’t involved and he very much doubted Ingo would willingly try anything. He'd told the ranch owner about Naoku and the Horsemaster's visit and Ingo had gone white before shuffling off to his office to mutter to himself and make sure all his figures were in order.

Sheik watched Malon as she set some milk bottles on the fence posts as targets. What was going on in her head? She avoided looking him in the eyes and spoke to him as little as possible. He would have taken that as a sign that his role as villain was intact and he'd broken her, but her posture was still upright and defiant. She still moved with purpose.

As she stepped back, Sheik gave Marla a kick and they took off. He raised the bow, guiding Marla with his legs, and loosed an arrow. He missed by about a foot. He pulled the next arrow from the quiver tied to the saddle and aimed. Sheik had been so focused on Malon's behavior and his bow that he'd forgotten to make sure Marla was leading with the correct leg and the jarring extra beat as they rounded the corner made Sheik loose his arrow early. It flew off in an upward arch. The light was quickly dying and the arrow disappeared in the dark, but he guessed it was headed towards the house. Sure enough there was the sound of breaking glass and a squawk as the arrow crashed into Ingo's office.

Sheik cursed and ran Marla in a circle until her step was right. Then he took off again, determined to make up for his blunder. Carefully regulating his breathing and timing with Marla's movements, Sheik aimed at his next target: a bucket hanging from the corral's entrance. He held back a crow of triumph as the bucket knocked against the corral beam when the arrow slammed into it.

By the end of the night Sheik was able to hit about thirty percent of the targets. He had allowed Malon to go to bed and kept practicing until Marla was too irritable and tired to continue.

As he walked back into the castle, an hour or two early for his dawn deadline, he noticed the guards seemed extra nervous. They stood in perfect form, upright and facing ahead. Normally they couldn't resist eyeing Sheik and they hardly ever stood up straight. Walking by like everything was normal, Sheik sharpened his senses, trying to pick up what was happening. As soon as he was out of the guards’ sights, he took a turn into the courtyard and snuck to a window, pressing himself against it to watch the guards. After a minute or two, one of the men's eyes began to occasionally flick upwards to the top of the wall. When the glancing ceased, after about fifteen minutes, he seemed to relax . . . like he was relieved. Not from being scared, more anxious.

Sheik snuck away with a hard look in his eyes as he reached his conclusion. The guards had let someone out of the castle, someone who shouldn't have been there in the first place. As the king's spy and informant, this sort of thing was his job. He would need more information before bringing it to Captain Knuckle since, technically, it was just a suspicion. But a Sheikah instinct was to be trusted.

As the early morning rolled on and Sheik awoke from his short dawn rest, he decided to trail the guards. He found a good place where he could climb to the roof without anyone spotting him. From there it was fairly simple to get around without much risk of detection.

Making his way to the Hylian mess hall, he found a spot to stake out. It was an irritably long four hours before one of the guards from the gate appeared. He was a well-built man, not old enough to have been one of the original Hylian soldiers, but still in good fighting form. Probably an ex-laborer, convinced by Fari to join the troops upon the destruction of Castle Town. Sure enough, he sat with other Fari loyal troops. Reserved, the man only responded to his friend’s comments and questions with short phrases. He ate his food silently, his chatting friends continuing their conversation around him, but looked put off by his aloofness. He'd only eaten a few bites before he excused himself and left.

Sheik did his best to follow, staying out of sight and tracking him through corridor windows as the man passed by them. There was a pause in his speed between two windows and for a moment Sheik thought he'd lost him. But the man reappeared, not having paused long enough to do much more than maybe say a few words to someone. Sheik ran through the castle layout in his mind; Captain Fari’s door was between those windows. He cursed his luck that he had no clear view, but continued his tracking. 

For the next three hours, Sheik watched the man go through his daily lot as a soldier with the same distracted look on his face. Putting in enough effort for his slack not to be noticed, but little enough that Sheik could tell that something heavy was on his mind. When Sheik had watched long enough to find the man’s room, and satisfied that the man was indeed up to something, Sheik left his target and broke into his chambers.

It was rather bare, definitely a soldier's room even though he had it to himself. Not uncommon considering the troops had the whole castle to dwell in, rather than just the barracks. It didn't take much rank to acquire a room like this one. There weren't many papers on the simple desk. A few receipts, old orders, and a schedule or two were all Sheik could find. 

The room’s tidiness caught his attention. It wasn’t the pristine condition made by someone who can't stand disorder. Areas used daily were just a bit askew. The guard schedule for that morning or the night before had been flipped through and not replaced in their envelope or neatly stacked.This man was not a naturally tidy person.

This made the fact that every other part of the room was carefully put together odd. The chest at the end of the bed was dutifully locked, when many would leave the lock open since it was accessed frequently, the window latch locked, though at this time of year it was common to open the window during the hottest part of the day so no one really latched it. 

Sheik opened the chest lock but there was nothing of interest inside. A few personal effects and a dagger. This man was being careful. Not only that, he was trying too hard not to seem careful. Sheik could see the mindset of the man written on this room. Something was important, something secret, something he had gone into willingly and was carefully handling. However, the stress of it was leaking out. It occupied his mind, not enough to make him crack, but enough that he couldn't forget about it when he needed to. There was a contained impatience in this room. A struggle between caution and panic. Sheik left no trace of his presence, but also left with no evidence.

He would keep an eye on this man, but for now he only had two more nights before the Horsemaster's visit. There was one more thing to do today.

Sheik waited until the hall was deserted before he approached the door, but he still knew there was a good chance his visit to Captain Ruba's office would not go unnoticed. He reached up and rapped swiftly on the door.

"Come in," came Ruba's always slightly irritated voice.

Sheik entered the office, shutting the door behind him, and gave the Sheikah salute. He'd doubted Captain Ruba's office would have a desk like a study, but he hadn't expected it to be filled with Gerudo statuary. A large figure of a multi-armed goddess towered from the back half of the room, one of its hands holding Ruba's halberd. Tapestries lined the walls depicting red haired women fighting, riding, and generally living life. A few depicted a man's face, Ganondorf’s face, not a perfect likeness, but recognizable. Intriguing, the tapestries were older than the King. 

Sheik didn’t ponder the decor long, his focus snapping to Ruba. She was in a sitting position, but in the air, holding herself up on two rings dangling from thick rope attached to the ceiling. The exercise obviously took intense muscle strength, but Ruba seemed unaffected. She did a half flip backwards and landed gracefully on her feet. "What do you want, boy?"

"I have a favor to ask," Sheik responded. Ruba's eyebrow arched and she raised her chin suspiciously. Sheik continued. "I would like to make a visit to the Gerudo homeland."

"Why?"

"I want to undertake the Gerudo Test. I suspect completing it would gain me some respectability among your people."

Captain Ruba thought about that for a moment. The fact that she didn't laugh outright was encouraging. "An interesting idea. I hope you are not underestimating the trials. I don't even know how you knew about them."

_ A few hints from you and a lot of lucky guesswork.  _ Sheik thought as Ruba continued, "Why should I do you this favor? Bringing you there would seem as if I had trust in your abilities, which I do not, and thus put myself at risk of embarrassment."

Sheik heard the anger returning to Ruba's voice. Whatever calming exercise she had just done was wearing off. He nodded. "I am aware of that fact. Thus I propose that I pass a preliminary test to your satisfaction before we go. That and we make a bet."

"A bet?" Ruba scoffed. "I am not the gaming sort. Besides what do you have that I would want?"

"I am sure you wonder what I did to convince the king to spare me and my village. If you take me to the trials and I fail, I will tell you everything that happened at Kakariko."

Sheik could see Ruba's eyes calculating and he answered her unasked question. "And if I succeed, the prize I ask is simple. The Gerudo warriors who dragged me off that day in Kakariko took from me a harp. It is a Sheikah artifact that I would like back."

Sheik feared Ruba would mock him for his request, but after seeing her decor he felt more hopeful. There was a pause as Ruba thought about the offer. Her reputation was already on shaky grounds for some reason, and it was a big risk for her to, in a sense, sponsor him in her homeland. Honestly, if he was in her position he would probably refuse.

"I accept. Tomorrow, meet me at Lon Lon ranch at noon for your preliminary test."

The location surprised Sheik, but in retrospect it was quite logical for Ruba. It was away from the castle and its spies, had plenty of room, and it had horses. Sheik would have to warn Malon not to do anything stupid. Whatever she was scheming, it would end up with her dead if Ruba got wind of it.

Sheik nodded and left.


	51. Cutting It Close

"Remember Malon, you haven't seen me since Ingo took over the ranch. If she directly asks you, say I forced you to loan me a horse and I only recently returned her. Just try to stay out of the way and away from her attention. Any suspicions the captain may have will lead to your father. "

Malon's eyes flashed. "You keep a lot of secrets from your allies. Maybe you'd die before anyone realized my father was still alive."

As soon as the words slipped out, fear crossed her face and she bit her lip waiting to see the reaction. Sheik just nodded. "Perhaps. But what then? Secrets are dangerous things; the longer you hold them the more impossible it is to escape unscathed. You hold an equal part of this secret and it makes us both vulnerable. However, I think you have more to lose than I do."

His calm and open answer took Malon by surprise and she frowned. Sheik kicked Marla and they began a trot around the track. It was a partial bluff. In reality, Sheik had much more to lose than his life. He held knowledge he had to get to the Hero, whenever he might return. But, in a way, his answer had felt honest. Malon had her father and her ranch. She had a real  _ life _ with a home and family and a future she could hope for. Sheik had only himself and a prophecy. It didn't feel like a real life; more like a role he had to play. He shook the envious thoughts from his head.  _ I am a Sheikah. I have my purpose. _

He had just finished his second time around when he spotted Captain Ruba's jewels and halberd flashing by the gate. He rode up, skillfully reigning in Marla in front of the captain. He thanked Hylia Malon had remained in the barn and out of sight.

"Captain," Sheik said.

With unusual solemnity, Ruba nodded and lowered the full pack she’d been carrying from which she pulled out five wicker circles. She glanced around and shouted, "Ranch daughter! I know you're around. Come here and be useful."

Malon slipped out of the barn and stepped forward. She looked Ruba in the eye, but didn't so much glance at Sheik.  _ So far, so good. _

Ruba didn't have a problem with Malon's attitude and handed her the circles. "Attach those at different intervals around the corral fence, understand?"

Malon nodded and hurried off to do the job. Ruba dropped the pack over at the edge of the house before doing a quick survey of the area and barked, "Dismount, Sheikah!"

Sheik obeyed and tied Marla to the barn door then walked towards Ruba who dropped the tip of her halberd until it pointed at him and shouted, "Defend yourself!"

She charged and Sheik rolled to the side. He had barely gotten back upright when he saw the halberd whistling towards him. Using his unspent momentum to launch into a backflip, Sheik narrowly avoided the horizontal slice. Reasoning that Ruba was probably serious about this duel, Sheik sent two needles flying her direction.

The captain stepped aside to avoid one and blocked the other with her halberd. On closer inspection, the entire weapon was metal plated. The hardened wooden pole dipped into brass, ensuring it was durable and still lightweight. The needle pinged off of the brass harmlessly. 

Ruba charged again. Sheik stepped aside lightly, but was too focused on the blade and didn’t react fast enough when the captain let the blade drop to the dirt and followed the shaft to him, kicking out and striking the back of his knee. He crumpled, but turned it into another roll, pulling out his kunai in the process. He barely brought them up in time, crossed, to catch the blade of the halberd that Ruba had flipped above her and sent whistling downward in his direction.

His arms trembled with the combined force of the drop and Ruba's swing. He plunged to the left, guiding the halberd blade to the soil where he pinned it by jabbing both his weapons into the ground. Then fast as he could, using the daggers as a pivot point, spun and flew at Ruba. His first jab was poorly blocked, and he managed to dig into the flesh of Ruba's right arm. She dislodge his kunai but rather than flip the halberd around, she swung the brass ball at the end of the weapon at Sheik's head. He whipped back just in time to avoid it shattering his nose and swung his elbow and caught her on the cheek. At the same time, she jabbed the round end of her weapon into his ribs and pain jolted along his side. He jumped back a few paces, panting.

Captain Ruba had her weapon business-end forward again, but this time she held it at a diagonal, ready to swing in any direction. Sheik threw another needle, following it as fast as he could. He watched her carefully as he approached, would she swing low or high?  _ Low. _

He jumped up, but she switched directions quickly, catching him by surprise and sending the brass end into Sheik's shoulder and knocking him aside. He hit the ground awkwardly tasting dirt and jumped back as soon as he could. The halberd blade landed where he had been, cutting into the sod neatly. Sheik ran to the side, scooped up his kunai, and continued his run around Ruba. He'd hoped she'd have a hard time turning quickly with her long weapon. He was disappointed.

She kept up with him, slowly sliding through a series of well-practiced positions and keeping her eyes on Sheik. This was obviously a situation she had faced before. He threw another needle to see how she'd react. The captain's halberd slid easily through her hands and the large curved blade blocked the needle that would have pierced her forehead.

He couldn't keep running in circles forever. He had an idea and went for it. Tossing another needle at Ruba's face, Sheik ran directly at her, lifting his leg in an upward front kick. As he'd hoped, Ruba blocked the needle with her blade then rotated her halberd farther so it wasn't obstructing her view, but the pole would still block his kick. But Sheik's attack wasn't close enough to hit the pole, instead he stepped onto it on his way down. With his other foot, he pushed into a jump and was, for a moment, perched on the now horizontal pole. He reached down and grabbed it and leaned forward, carrying his body into somersault. 

As he shifted into Ruba's face, she instinctively leaned back and his weight pulled her over backwards. She twisted the pole on the way down, trying to shake Sheik, but he was already letting go, trying to roll out of the fall and get to his feet while she was still recovering. He succeeded, but his roll took his thigh against the razor-edge of the blade and he felt warm blood and then sharp pain as the shock of the long clean cut hit him.

Ignoring the pain, he flung a needle which grazed Ruba's neck as she stabbed her blade into the earth and rotated into a sideways vault. She froze when the needle fell silently into the grass and lowered her knee to stop her offensive movement. Sheik hit the ground as his wounded leg gave out.

"Well done, Sheikah. That sacrificing move would have cost you your whole leg had this not been merely a test."

Sheik didn't reply; he was pressing his wound. It was a little more than a foot long, not too deep, but he worried that at its deepest point it had cut muscle. Ruba stood and walked back to her pack. She removed a roll of cloth bandages and tossed it at Sheik. He caught it and began expertly rolling it around his thigh. It hurt a lot and he needed to take a better look at it soon, but his test wasn't over.

The captain began walking towards the track and Sheik limped over to Marla. The horse was skittish, tied so close to the action and smelling the blood. Sheik held her firmly and turned her so she blocked Ruba's view of him. Then dropping any facade of toughness, Sheik grimaced and gasped his way onto her back.

He took a moment to gather his breath, noticing the fresh spread of red on the white bandage before he nudged Marla with his good leg following Ruba to the track.


	52. On Target

Captain Ruba handed Sheik a bow and quiver. He tested it and was relieved the draw weight was lower and not more than what he’d practiced with.

No explanation needed, Sheik lead Marla into a fast trot. With each step, fresh pain shot up his leg, but Sheik stayed focused. Drawing the bow, he carefully took aim at the first target. It was lower than the ones Malon had placed before, dangling from the fence rather than perched above and his first shot landed near the top edge.

Sheik nocked another arrow and aimed again. He had been careful to set Marla's lead leg and he had no trouble at the corner, his arrow hitting the target near the center. The next arrow whistled and pierced the target in its third ring from the edge. At the next target, Sheik felt something tear in his leg and his third arrow flew wide and hit the fence post. Gritting his teeth, he kicked Marla into a gallop and rapidly shot off the next two arrows. Both landed not far from the center. As Marla slowed in front of Malon, who had reappeared, Sheik let Ruba pull the bow from his death grip on it. Blood was steadily dripping from his leg and he lightheadedly wondered how he was going to get down. In what felt like slow motion, he swung his good leg over Marla's back and slid down onto it. Marla moved forward and Sheik would have fallen, but Ruba grabbed his shoulder, balancing him.

The Gerudo sent Malon for her pack and helped Sheik sit down. He thought about resisting and insisting he was fine, but when he saw Ruba's face, he realized he had indeed won some respect today. The disgust was gone and she eyed his leg with professional judgement. He let her unwind the bandage and use the wad to apply pressure to the cut until it began to blot. Now that he wasn't moving, Sheik's head began to clear. The adrenaline wore off and he felt weak; grateful he was sitting down. Malon offered the Captain a new roll of bandages and Sheik leaned forward to take them, wrapping his leg himself. 

It really wasn't too bad of a wound, but he had made it worse by riding and letting it bleed. Impa had taught him where his major arteries were and the worst places for the human body to be injured. He knew he was lucky. The muscle was only slightly cut and would heal over a few days, especially once he had time to add some stitches.

Captain Ruba stood up. "You passed, Sheikah. I don't think the Gerudo tests will be much trouble for you. If you survive the Horsemaster's inspection, I will take you to my home."

With that, she turned around, retrieved her pack, and left. A minute or so after the captain was out of sight Sheik said, "Malon, get Ingo and help me up. I'm going to have to stay here tonight."


	53. Recovered

Sheik woke up to the burning in his leg. He groaned and sat up, leaning against Talon's headboard. He checked the wound; the line was red and a bit puffy, but the cut itself remained neatly stitched together from his sewing last night and free of infection. He looked out the window; it was dark. He had to get back to the castle by dawn. 

In the castle from dawn to noon; that was the agreement he had with his captain. Taking a deep breath, Sheik rotated himself on the bed and let his legs drop to the floor. Slowly he stood up, putting most of his weight on his left, uninjured leg. He would manage. It was going to be a long walk to the castle, though. Strapping the weapons Ingo had retrieved for him back to his side, Sheik limped to the door. He guessed maybe three hours until dawn. He had slept longer than he should have. Normally, he could run from the castle to Lon Lon in two hours but now . . . 

Sheik limped down the stairs and to the door. He heard a noise behind him as he opened it and turned to see Malon watching him from the top of the stairs. Her expression was unreadable. Too many confused emotions all at once.

"The inspection is in two days, Malon. Be ready." He said flatly before walking carefully out of the house.

Knowing she would be watching from the window, he did his best not to limp as he left the ranch. Each step was painful, but he grit his teeth and kept going, out the gate, into the field, and towards the castle. He moved as fast as he dared, not wanting to break his stitches. He prayed to Hylia that no poes would bother him. He could still defend himself, but he couldn't afford to waste time.

When he reached the bridge he groaned. Usually he jumped effortlessly across. The bridge had never been replaced, most likely because it was symbolic in its broken state. That, and not many people left or entered Castle Town. Sheik shuffled on his good leg and jumped over the broken timbers and small stream of water. He landed awkwardly. He was panting and his legs burned like he had run miles, but his wound didn't reopen.

Sheik entered the castle, hiding his limp the best he could. He went straight to his room, wanting nothing more than to sit at his desk and eat the food Leigha had no doubt left there. However, he was surprised to see a Gerudo leaning against the wall a few doors away from his room. As he turned the corner she glanced up at him, nodded, and then left. He wondered which captain she worked for. 

Sure enough, breakfast was already in place and Sheik ate it eagerly. Then he laid down on his bed letting his body rest and his mind work. He had his foot in the door, but he still had to get to the desert. That meant getting through the other, more fierce Gerudo captain. He'd need the next two days to recover. He said a prayer to Hylia that he would walk straight by then.

His prayers were answered and two days later Sheik stretched his leg with satisfaction. It had recovered nicely and he was feeling confident again, when Leigha came in with breakfast. She placed it on the desk, but didn't leave right away like she usually did.

"What is it?" He asked and as Sheik turned to face her, she stopped staring and looked at the floor.

"Um . . . I have a message. Captain Naoku reminds you of your appointment at noon."

It had to have been a lower ranked Gerudo who ordered this message. Sheik doubted Leigha would have made it through a direct confrontation with Naoku. That meant he wasn't required to give her a response. He nodded at Leigha, who quickly made her way out.

Sheik slowly raised his right leg into a front kick and then lowered it to the floor. As long as the inspection didn't lead to combat, he would be fine.


	54. The Inspection

As he'd hoped, Sheik was able to walk without a limp to Lon Lon Ranch. Naoku stood at the gate with a Gerudo Sheik presumed was the Horsemaster. She had short cropped hair and loose white pants that matched her white vest. She held the reins of a beautiful Gerudo horse; a sleek black creature, smaller than the Hylian horses but with obvious muscle contours and a shapely face. Unlike the captain, who had her dual swords at her side, the Horsemaster was unarmed and she had an amused look on her face as Sheik approached.

Sheik gave them both a salute and then walked past them into the Ranch and called, "Malon!"

At his shout, Malon appeared from the barn. She glanced past him at the two women who were following him in. Sheik saw her twist her apron nervously before dropping it and walking towards him.

"Get Epona." He ordered.

She froze and Sheik saw fear in those blue eyes. He tried to ignore it, but his stomach twisted. Did he really have to take everything away from her?

"Epona is the horse I've heard about?" The Horsemaster asked, walking up next to Sheik and keeping her eyes eagerly on the barn as she waited for Sheik's reply. 

Naoku walked in front of Sheik and stared down at him, interrupting before he could answer the question. "As you can see, we've brought one of our best horses to test the Hylian beast against."

Sheik nodded. "As you wish," he said before turning to the Horsemaster. "A race will be enough for you to inspect Epona?"

The Horsemaster tore her eager eyes from the barn and looked at Sheik, "After the race I will want to inspect her up close."

_ Great. Epona just loves strangers _ .

The Horsemaster turned back to the stables and gave a hum of appreciation as Malon walked out with Epona. At the sight of Sheik, Epona held her head high and her ears pressed down. The Horsemaster chuckled. "She's certainly got attitude."

Sheik considered stepping back, but held his ground, muttering, "We have a history."

Malon brought Epona over and as soon as she was in range, Epona lashed out at Sheik with her hooves. Sheik, expecting this, jumped back and Malon pulled at Epona's reins. "Shhh, Epona." She patted the mare's neck and Epona reluctantly stayed where she was.

The Horsemaster laughed loudly. "So I guess you will not be riding against me, boy!"

Sheik calmly replied, "No, that was never my intention. You see Epona and the other horses are not the only things of value. Malon raised all the horses here herself and knows more about them than anyone in Hyrule. The race will be a test of her as much as Epona."

Everyone turned to stare at Malon who looked shocked at Sheik's praise before settling into her normal look of defiance. After Ruba's reaction to Malon, Sheik had guessed the Horsemaster and maybe even Naoku would also appreciate her skill and fire.

The Horsemaster mounted her lithe steed, and at Sheik's nod, Malon smiled and climbed atop Epona. The two turned and led their mounts to the track. Sheik smiled slightly when he saw the look in Epona's eye as she watched the Gerudo horse. It was not too different from the looks she gave Sheik.

As Naoku and Sheik made their way to the track, the captainspoke, skepticism heavy in her voice, "So that's the horse you were going to present to the king?"

Noting her use of the past tense, Sheik replied in a challenging tone, "She will be the finest steed he's ever had. If you would do the honors of starting the race, you will see that for yourself."

Naoku glared at Sheik, but turned to the two riders, whose horses were anxiously toeing the starting line. She pulled out her sword and then brought it swiftly down and shouted, "BEGIN!"

The ground rumbled as the two horses took off. Clearly not used to real competition, Epona fell behind as the Gerudo horse flew forward. With a word from Malon, Epona shrieked and lowered her head, hooves pounding at the dirt. They both took the turn tightly and by the end of the next stretch, the two riders were head to head. Malon was grinning, her hair flying like a banner behind her as she urged Epona forward. The Horsemaster and her steed moved as one, gracefully and quickly, cutting through the air like an arrow. But Epona wasn't finished.

As they rounded the next corner, Epona's hooves beat faster and she pulled ahead of her rival. The Horsemaster looked at the increasing distance in disbelief before leaning forward and urging her mount harder. It was no use, Epona tore at the track and reached the finish line, a horse length ahead of her opponent. She reared up and cried out in victory. Malon half-laughing, half-shouting joined her. The Horsemaster brought her own steed to a stop and dismounted, shaking her head but smiling. As Epona landed back down, she raised her head high, confident in her throne.

Sheik really wanted to see Naoku's face, but stayed focused on the Horsemaster who walked towards Epona. He could hardly believe it when Epona let her come close and touch her neck. The Horsemaster was murmuring and walked confidently as she touched Epona's neck and began to inspect her body. Malon dismounted and watched the Gerudo at work. She couldn't keep the grin off her face.

After a moment, Sheik finally let himself turn toward Captain Naoku. Her face was stern and Sheik could see her disappointment. He watched her eyes narrow as she watched Malon dismount.

"Do you accept my decision about this place?" Sheik asked; he didn't want to gloat and anger her, but he needed to solidify his victory.

With obvious reluctance Naoku nodded. "Very well, we will bring the horse back to the castle."

Malon's face dropped and Sheik prayed she would remain silent. She could rail against him all she wanted later, but Naoku would probably love to cut down the Hylian girl who had beaten the Gerudo Horsemaster. Luckily before she could say anything, the Horsemaster spoke up, "Epona is in perfect shape. She's as fine a horse as I've ever seen."

Naoku turned to go and dryly said, "Bring it along." Sheik turned as well, anxious to leave before Malon tried anything.

"There is one problem . . . " Naoku and Sheik both spun around at the Horsemaster’s tone. The Gerudo stood up straight and patted Epona. "This horse is pregnant."


	55. The Horsemaster

"What?!" Sheik and Captain Naoku spoke at the same time.

"Epona is pregnant. Not very far along at all. Maybe a week." The Horsemaster patted Epona’s side.

Sheik and Naoku both glanced suspiciously at Malon who couldn't hide the look of smug pride and triumph from her face.  _ Oh no. Malon, why couldn't you have let it go? _

Naoku rushed at Malon, sliding her blade out of its sheath and snarling, "How dare you! You little—"

Malon stepped back, her eyes widening with fear. Sheik's mind raced, he needed to stop Naoku, but he couldn't oppose a captain directly . . . 

Once again the Horsemaster spoke up, holding an arm between the Naoku and Malon. "In my opinion, this is actually a good thing."

Naoku stopped and glared at her fellow Gerudo, who matched her stare. She may have been one of Ganondorf's captains, but when it came to horses it was clear who held a higher rank. The Horsemaster continued, "With a mare this powerful, it would be a crime not to breed her for a while. It's a smart move."

Reluctantly, Captain Naoku slid her sword back into place and the Horsemaster lowered her arm. Sheik saw the fire in Naoku's eyes and knew it wasn't over. Helpless, he watched as she backhanded Malon in the face, knocking her to the floor. "Very well. The horse stays. But if you try anything like that again, I will gut you like the pig you are."

The captain spun around and gave Sheik one glance before storming out of the ranch. She saw nothing but annoyance in his expression, but Sheik's stomach was twisting. He kept his eyes on Epona, but he could see Malon in the corner still lying on the ground.

The Horsemaster sighed and looked at the ranch exit with distaste. Sheik turned to her as she leaned down and helped Malon up. The girl looked a bit dazed and there was a bit of blood at her temple. The Horsemaster spoke firmly but kindly. "Stand up and take Epona back to the barn."

Malon stumbled once, but then made it to Epona. She grabbed the reins and mechanically made her way back to the barn. Epona's eyes flashed and her nostrils flared, but she obediently followed Malon away. Once they entered the barn, the Horsemaster turned around and eyed Sheik. His face was neutral and empty. 

"I'm guessing that the captain and you don't get along,” she said wearily. “I don't know exactly what was at stake today, but I want you to keep Naoku away from here. She's a violent woman, appropriate for her job I suppose, but she has no time or patience for those who are not her soldiers. The king may be Gerudo, but most of our people remain in the desert and isolated from Hyrule. I can't watch over Malon from out there and I would hate to see her potential wasted."

The Horsemaster sighed and ran her fingers through her red hair. "I never wanted to go to Hyrule.” She said, shaking her head, “But I never imagined you Hylians were hiding something like Epona! I wonder how she would do in a distance race . . . "

Her golden eyes lost their focus as she imagined the race, but then she coughed and pointed a finger at Sheik. "Anyway, keep this ranch going, boy. I look forward to working with Malon and these horses and I would hate to find it burned to the ground because of Naoku's spite."

Sheik let some of his surprise at her boldness show and she laughed. "You've been hanging around the likes of Naoku and Ruba too much. I hope you don't think all Gerudo are as serious as them." She gave Sheik a wink and he tried to make himself relax. She was right, the Gerudo captains were nothing like her and Sheik was having a hard time believing they belonged to the same culture.

"I look forward to seeing more of your people on my visit to your land," he managed to answer.

The Horsemaster raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you're coming to the Fortress?"

"Yes, Captain Ruba is taking me, and I am to undergo the trials."

Her face grew serious and she spoke quietly, "Really? Ruba is coming back?"

Sheik, shocked by her openness, but eager to learn anything he could, asked, "What do you mean?"

"Mmm Ruba and me go way back; we grew up together. I haven't seen her for, let’s see, four years? She left with the king's first battalion. It was right after . . . " She trailed off and seemed to snap out of her memories and quickly finished, "Anyway there are bad memories at home for her and so I'm surprised she's coming back. I'll be glad to see her."

Sheik was dying to know more, but he'd pushed his luck already. He gave the Horsemaster a bow and she mounted her black horse and rode off.

Once she was out of sight, Sheik gave the barn one last glance before making his own way back to the castle.


	56. Dark Mirrors

Sheik thought about going straight to Ruba's office, but decided it was probably better to wait for the Gerudo side of the castle to settle after Naoku's no doubt upsetting arrival. He started to go to his room when he remembered Captain Knuckle's orders about Naoku. He needed to report on her violent reaction.  
He steeled himself for the long walk down the dark hallway to Captain Knuckle's office, though it didn't seem to lessen the effects. The darkness crept into Sheik's mind and his thoughts kept spiraling back to the ranch. As he walked stiffly past the stalfos guard, he couldn't stop himself from re-imagining the scene. Him standing there, cold and silent as Naoku struck Malon. He was glad when he reached the door and was able to focus on what he was going to say. He knocked and waited for the door to open itself.  
Once again, Knuckle was looking over his map. The pieces on it had moved, but Sheik couldn't see far enough into the darkness to make anything of them. The captain raised his head and the red glow fixed itself on Sheik who saluted and started his report.  
"Captain, I have returned from Lon Lon Ranch. The Horsemaster was pleased with both the ranch and its occupants. The horse we planned on presenting to the king is pregnant. It was decided that breeding her would be the best course for now."  
Captain Knuckle didn't move and Sheik continued, "Captain Naoku was not happy with the results. Despite the superior quality of the horse and its rider, Naoku was reluctant to accept the ranch's value. The rider was the former ranch owner's daughter. She is the one who raises the horses and is vital to the continuation of their quality. Despite this, and her proven skill, Naoku struck her out of spite."  
"And what is the significance of this?" The voice rumbled through the dim room.  
Sheik carefully selected his next words, "I believe her hatred for Hylians, and the fact that she saw the defeat of the Gerudo horse as a slight against her people, caused her to forget her duty to the king. She also made threats that presumed she had authority over the ranch."  
The voice seemed satisfied, "Report to me if she continues to harass matters outside of her jurisdiction."  
Sheik nodded; he was glad that his guess that the ranch was under either Ruba's or Knuckle's responsibility proved correct. He was about to take his leave when he remembered his trip. He added, "Sir, with your permission, I would like to accompany Captain Ruba to the Gerudo Desert shortly."  
There was a pause and Sheik hoped that meant the armored stalfos was thinking about it.   
"For what purpose?" The captain asked.  
"In order to gain more trust with the Gerudo forces, I would like to undertake the Gerudo trials."  
"Very well. Depart and return with Captain Ruba." The glowing eyes left him and returned to their study.  
Nodding once more, Sheik gave a parting salute, and returned to the hall. There had been an unspoken expectation that he would report on Ruba as he had done with Naoku. Fine. That is my job after all.  
As soon as he was back in the hall, the memories returned. He re-lived his rage when he found out Malon had conspired against him. Her smug look when he expressed his surprise. It twisted in his mind and ran over and over again and he grimaced. She had betrayed him; when he’d realized that she had planned Epona's pregnancy all along, he had wanted to strike her himself.  
He stepped out of the outer corridor and stood in front of one of the courtyard windows, letting the sunlight flood over him. That wasn't right, was it? Had he really wanted to hurt her? Of course he’d felt anger, but mostly he'd been afraid and frustrated. He was angry because she was putting herself and him at risk. He felt the darkness in his heart recede, but the memories had left him shaken. He quickly went to his room and sat down, splashing water from the basin on his face, trying to clear his head.  
A few moments later the door opened, and Sheik, deep in thought and still shaken, jumped as Leigha entered the room. She mumbled an apology and Sheik stood up and walked to the window, turning away from her, embarrassed. He was being careless. There had to be some way to fight that evil aura around Ganondorf's wing.   
When he heard the door close, he returned to the desk and ate his lunch mechanically. When he finished he went through some training exercises slowly and focused on his breathing. After ten minutes or so he felt better and decided it was time to go talk to Ruba.  
Sheik noticed more whispers than normal as he made his way down the Gerudo halls. Many of the red haired women gave him approving looks, as well, which was definitely new. He wondered whether it was because he had bested Naoku or Ruba.  
He knocked on Ruba's door, aware that at least three Gerudo were pretending not to be watching him eagerly. A voice answered, "Come in."  
Sheik opened the door and stepped in, closing it behind him. He thought he heard a few disappointed sounds in the hall before it clicked shut.  
Ruba was not exercising this time. She had her back towards him and was staring at one of the tapestries on her wall. Even though she wasn’t looking at him, Sheik gave his salute before speaking, "Captain, no doubt you heard that the Horsemaster seconded your opinion on the ranch."  
"Yes, though honestly I'm surprised Naoku accepted it."   
"She certainly wasn't pleased. Though it did seem that the Horsemaster had some authority. I'm sure I'll understand it more after my visit to the Fortress."  
Ruba sighed, and Sheik remembered the Horsemaster's words about Ruba’s past. Finally, she spun around, the familiar annoyance in her eyes. "Very well. We leave at dawn, if we ride, we can get to the desert by nightfall. Are you authorized to leave?"  
"My captain has approved the trip,” Sheik said. “Though I have one request: might I meet you at the ranch at dawn. I want to take one of the Hylian horses; the Horsemaster was curious about their abilities over a long distance."  
For a split second, a half-smile crossed Ruba's face. "Yes, I'm sure she was.” The smile vanished as quickly as it had come and she nodded. “I will meet you there. Don't keep me waiting."  
Sheik saluted and left. Even more Gerudo were in the hall than when he'd gone in and one giggled as the door shut. He walked past a group and heard them whispering. As soon as he could, he doubled back and eavesdropped from a nearby window.  
“She's taking him to the Fortress?”  
“He's going to attempt the trials.”  
“Really? I don't believe that for a second. It’s so surprising that the captain is going home.”  
“Yeah, do you think anyone will mention you-know-what?”  
“If they did, they'd find her blade in their stomach!”  
There was more laughter and Sheik snuck away before anyone spotted him. He needed to find out what had kept Ruba away from her home for four years! He knew it was important with every fiber of his Sheikah instincts.  
Returning to his room, he packed his bag, preparing for the journey. When everything was ready, he laid down on his bed and let himself drift into sleep.  
He dreamt he was in a dark room. It was cold and deathly quiet. He heard what sounded like the rustle of feathers, but on a massive scale. A burst of wind knocked Sheik onto the stone floor. Despite the darkness, a shape appeared. A massive black bird, its void-like feathers somehow different than the surrounding darkness. Sheik felt a primeval fear well up inside him. He scrambled away from the shape, but quickly came up against a stone wall which he pressed himself against, desperate to escape as the evil god unfurled its wings. Right as the nothingness of its form was about to fill his vision, it began to shrink.   
Dim light rose and Sheik stood up, shaking. The form had shrunk into an oval on the other side of the small room. As Sheik watched, it continued to transform until it looked human. Arms, legs, hair, and a tabard crying black tears. The dark image of Sheik opened its eyes, and they glowed red with malice as the creature grinned. Sheik's head was ringing and every nerve in his body felt electrified, but he couldn't move. The Dark Sheik tilted its head, still grinning. With a shadow's speed, it lunged towards Sheik and planted a dark blade in his heart. He tried to scream, but instead a gurgle escaped as his mouth filled with blood. Red hot burning flashed before being replaced by a cold that was even more painful.  
He woke with a start. Sweat drenched his body and he was breathing heavily. His face fell into his hands and he tried to calm down. What was that? Just a dream? He shivered as he ran his hands through his hair, unsticking his bangs from his wet face. The dream felt like it was watching him from the shadows. That bird had to be the dark god depicted in the Shadow Temple. Sheik sat up in a meditative position.  
Why was it haunting him? He'd thought he could live side by side with evil, protecting his true self like his mission—in secret. Sheik tried to clear his mind and focus on his emotions. Impa had taught him that to create the layers of mystery the Sheikah used, their people had to know exactly who they truly were. You couldn't hide your emotions if you didn't know them. He tried to pinpoint the fear lodged in his heart, to identify it and combat it.  
At the beginning it had been a fear of purposelessness. That there was nothing left for him to live for. Then it had been the fear of failure and discovery. Now it was something different. It was that dark image of himself. The fear that the evil around him would swallow him up until he was no longer himself. That the mask he wore would one day be impossible to remove.   
That idea terrified him. He tried to think back to before the castle, before he met Ganondorf, but it was like wading through mud. He pictured his days with Impa, like seeing a story on a tapestry, but he couldn't remember the feelings.  
Sensing himself beginning to slip into despair, Sheik ended his introspection and laid back down, letting himself curl into a ball as he waited for the night to end.


	57. Dark Mirrors

Sheik thought about going straight to Ruba's office, but decided it was probably better to wait for the Gerudo side of the castle to settle after Naoku's no doubt upsetting arrival. He started to go to his room when he remembered Captain Knuckle's orders about Naoku. He needed to report on her violent reaction.

He steeled himself for the long walk down the dark hallway to Captain Knuckle's office, though it didn't seem to lessen the effects. The darkness crept into Sheik's mind and his thoughts kept spiraling back to the ranch. As he walked stiffly past the stalfos guard, he couldn't stop himself from re-imagining the scene. Him standing there, cold and silent as Naoku struck Malon. He was glad when he reached the door and was able to focus on what he was going to say. He knocked and waited for the door to open itself.

Once again, Knuckle was looking over his map. The pieces on it had moved, but Sheik couldn't see far enough into the darkness to make anything of them. The captain raised his head and the red glow fixed itself on Sheik who saluted and started his report.

"Captain, I have returned from Lon Lon Ranch. The Horsemaster was pleased with both the ranch and its occupants. The horse we planned on presenting to the king is pregnant. It was decided that breeding her would be the best course for now."

Captain Knuckle didn't move and Sheik continued, "Captain Naoku was not happy with the results. Despite the superior quality of the horse and its rider, Naoku was reluctant to accept the ranch's value. The rider was the former ranch owner's daughter. She is the one who raises the horses and is vital to the continuation of their quality. Despite this, and her proven skill, Naoku struck her out of spite."

"And what is the significance of this?" The voice rumbled through the dim room.

Sheik carefully selected his next words, "I believe her hatred for Hylians, and the fact that she saw the defeat of the Gerudo horse as a slight against her people, caused her to forget her duty to the king. She also made threats that presumed she had authority over the ranch."

The voice seemed satisfied, "Report to me if she continues to harass matters outside of her jurisdiction."

Sheik nodded; he was glad that his guess that the ranch was under either Ruba's or Knuckle's responsibility proved correct. He was about to take his leave when he remembered his trip. He added, "Sir, with your permission, I would like to accompany Captain Ruba to the Gerudo Desert shortly."

There was a pause and Sheik hoped that meant the armored stalfos was thinking about it. 

"For what purpose?" The captain asked.

"In order to gain more trust with the Gerudo forces, I would like to undertake the Gerudo trials."

"Very well. Depart and return with Captain Ruba." The glowing eyes left him and returned to their study.

Nodding once more, Sheik gave a parting salute, and returned to the hall. There had been an unspoken expectation that he would report on Ruba as he had done with Naoku.  _ Fine. That is my job after all. _

As soon as he was back in the hall, the memories returned. He re-lived his rage when he found out Malon had conspired against him. Her smug look when he expressed his surprise. It twisted in his mind and ran over and over again and he grimaced. She had betrayed him; when he’d realized that she had planned Epona's pregnancy all along, he had wanted to strike her himself.

He stepped out of the outer corridor and stood in front of one of the courtyard windows, letting the sunlight flood over him. That wasn't right, was it? Had he really wanted to hurt her? Of course he’d felt anger, but mostly he'd been afraid and frustrated. He was angry because she was putting herself and him at risk. He felt the darkness in his heart recede, but the memories had left him shaken. He quickly went to his room and sat down, splashing water from the basin on his face, trying to clear his head.

A few moments later the door opened, and Sheik, deep in thought and still shaken, jumped as Leigha entered the room. She mumbled an apology and Sheik stood up and walked to the window, turning away from her, embarrassed. He was being careless. There had to be some way to fight that evil aura around Ganondorf's wing. 

When he heard the door close, he returned to the desk and ate his lunch mechanically. When he finished he went through some training exercises slowly and focused on his breathing. After ten minutes or so he felt better and decided it was time to go talk to Ruba.

Sheik noticed more whispers than normal as he made his way down the Gerudo halls. Many of the red haired women gave him approving looks, as well, which was definitely new. He wondered whether it was because he had bested Naoku or Ruba.

He knocked on Ruba's door, aware that at least three Gerudo were pretending not to be watching him eagerly. A voice answered, "Come in."

Sheik opened the door and stepped in, closing it behind him. He thought he heard a few disappointed sounds in the hall before it clicked shut.

Ruba was not exercising this time. She had her back towards him and was staring at one of the tapestries on her wall. Even though she wasn’t looking at him, Sheik gave his salute before speaking, "Captain, no doubt you heard that the Horsemaster seconded your opinion on the ranch."

"Yes, though honestly I'm surprised Naoku accepted it." 

"She certainly wasn't pleased. Though it did seem that the Horsemaster had some authority. I'm sure I'll understand it more after my visit to the Fortress."

Ruba sighed, and Sheik remembered the Horsemaster's words about Ruba’s past. Finally, she spun around, the familiar annoyance in her eyes. "Very well. We leave at dawn, if we ride, we can get to the desert by nightfall. Are you authorized to leave?"

"My captain has approved the trip,” Sheik said. “Though I have one request: might I meet you at the ranch at dawn. I want to take one of the Hylian horses; the Horsemaster was curious about their abilities over a long distance."

For a split second, a half-smile crossed Ruba's face. "Yes, I'm sure she was.” The smile vanished as quickly as it had come and she nodded. “I will meet you there. Don't keep me waiting."

Sheik saluted and left. Even more Gerudo were in the hall than when he'd gone in and one giggled as the door shut. He walked past a group and heard them whispering. As soon as he could, he doubled back and eavesdropped from a nearby window.

_ “She's taking _ him  _ to the Fortress?” _

_ “He's going to attempt the trials.” _

_ “Really? I don't believe that for a second. It’s so surprising that the captain is going home.” _

_ “Yeah, do you think anyone will mention you-know-what?” _

_ “If they did, they'd find her blade in their stomach!” _

There was more laughter and Sheik snuck away before anyone spotted him. He needed to find out what had kept Ruba away from her home for four years! He  _ knew _ it was important with every fiber of his Sheikah instincts.

Returning to his room, he packed his bag, preparing for the journey. When everything was ready, he laid down on his bed and let himself drift into sleep.

He dreamt he was in a dark room. It was cold and deathly quiet. He heard what sounded like the rustle of feathers, but on a massive scale. A burst of wind knocked Sheik onto the stone floor. Despite the darkness, a shape appeared. A massive black bird, its void-like feathers somehow different than the surrounding darkness. Sheik felt a primeval fear well up inside him. He scrambled away from the shape, but quickly came up against a stone wall which he pressed himself against, desperate to escape as the evil god unfurled its wings. Right as the nothingness of its form was about to fill his vision, it began to shrink. 

Dim light rose and Sheik stood up, shaking. The form had shrunk into an oval on the other side of the small room. As Sheik watched, it continued to transform until it looked human. Arms, legs, hair, and a tabard crying black tears. The dark image of Sheik opened its eyes, and they glowed red with malice as the creature grinned. Sheik's head was ringing and every nerve in his body felt electrified, but he couldn't move. The Dark Sheik tilted its head, still grinning. With a shadow's speed, it lunged towards Sheik and planted a dark blade in his heart. He tried to scream, but instead a gurgle escaped as his mouth filled with blood. Red hot burning flashed before being replaced by a cold that was even more painful.

He woke with a start. Sweat drenched his body and he was breathing heavily. His face fell into his hands and he tried to calm down.  _ What was that? Just a dream? _ He shivered as he ran his hands through his hair, unsticking his bangs from his wet face. The dream felt like it was watching him from the shadows. That bird had to be the dark god depicted in the Shadow Temple. Sheik sat up in a meditative position.

Why was it haunting him? He'd thought he could live side by side with evil, protecting his true self like his mission—in secret. Sheik tried to clear his mind and focus on his emotions. Impa had taught him that to create the layers of mystery the Sheikah used, their people had to know exactly who they truly were. You couldn't hide your emotions if you didn't know them. He tried to pinpoint the fear lodged in his heart, to identify it and combat it.

At the beginning it had been a fear of purposelessness. That there was nothing left for him to live for. Then it had been the fear of failure and discovery. Now it was something different. It was that dark image of himself. The fear that the evil around him would swallow him up until he was no longer himself. That the mask he wore would one day be impossible to remove. 

That idea terrified him. He tried to think back to before the castle, before he met Ganondorf, but it was like wading through mud. He pictured his days with Impa, like seeing a story on a tapestry, but he couldn't remember the feelings.

Sensing himself beginning to slip into despair, Sheik ended his introspection and laid back down, letting himself curl into a ball as he waited for the night to end.


	58. Goodbye Malon

Sheik arrived at Lon Lon a bit before dawn. The trip across the field had helped clear his head of the horrors from the night before. He’d also decided on the way to take Marla. Having a familiar horse would help with the trials. He took his usual path silently slipping over the gate and headed for the stables, he didn’t want to wake Malon, he would just leave a note or something. 

As he entered the barn there was a low angry snort. Epona was sitting in her stall, her eyes just clearing the stall door and watching Sheik suspiciously. From a safe distance, Sheik jumped on a stall door and looked down. As he feared, Malon was asleep in the barn, curled up next to Epona.

"Alright Epona,” Sheik said. “I think we can both agree it'd be better for her to not see me."

The horse didn't answer, but stayed quiet and still. Sheik made his way to Marla's stall, taking a set of reins from the peg next to it. Marla woke with a slight start at his touch and he shushed her quietly, trying his best to do what Malon did when she calmed horses. He slipped the reins on and slowly opened the stall. He started to lead Marla out of the barn, but he froze as Epona gave another snort, this one louder and she shifted her body. She was not okay with Sheik leaving with one of her subjects.

There was a quiet moan and then Sheik heard Malon's voice, "What is it, Epona?"

Sheik glared at Epona. Why couldn't she give him a break? Quietly he said, "It's me, Malon. I'm borrowing Marla; I'll bring her back soon."

"Sheik?" Her voice was still groggy, and he heard straw crunch as she moved to get up.

Light began filtering into the barn as the sun made its way over the mountains. When Malon stood up, Sheik could see the large bruise covering her brow and the side of her right eye. She was squinting in the low light and there was straw in her hair.

The two stared at each other for a moment. Sheik struggled with emotion; he wanted to apologize, to explain that he hadn't wanted any of this. He wanted to thank her for her help, tell her that he was happy she had won Epona back, to deny the moment of anger in his memory that the darkness had dredged up. Looking at the bruise, he felt like he had hit her himself. It was too much.

"I—" He couldn't do it. There was still too much at risk. He hid behind his Sheikah mask. "After I return Marla, I won't be coming back unless ordered to. The ranch is safe as long as you follow the Horsemaster's directions."

She had that confused look on her face. He wished she would just hate him, it’d be easier. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out. After a moment, Sheik turned to leave.

"Wait!" Sheik froze at her call. "What . . . what about my father?"

_ Right. _ He couldn't even just walk away. If he left, she wouldn't have any communication with her father anymore. Even by leaving he was taking more from her.

He didn’t turn back towards her. "As long as you don't cause any trouble here, I will continue taking letters.” The words were cold. “I don't know how often I'll come by. Just leave any letters you write on Talon's desk."

It was a disconnected solution. He couldn't keep facing Malon. She was getting too close, and he knew he couldn't hide behind his cold façade much longer. They had been through too much and no one else had seen him as vulnerable as she had. He had to cut ties. Even if leaving her on her own was a terrible risk, sticking around was even riskier.

He thought he heard a small 'Oh,’ but he just gave Marla a tug and walked away.


	59. Arrival at the Fortress

At the gate, Sheik mounted Marla and waited for Captain Ruba. It wasn't long before she showed up, riding a bay Gerudo horse with a white diamond on its forehead. It reminded Sheik of the gems Gerudo sometimes wore on their own foreheads; the horse also gave him a distasteful look he generally associated with the Gerudo.

"Are you ready?" Ruba asked.

Sheik nodded and Ruba kicked her horse into a trot. He followed her closely as they rode across the field. Both were silent, their horse's breathing the only sound between them. It was a chilly morning, and Sheik wondered how the Gerudo managed to walk around so exposed. In a desert it made sense, but in Hyrule it got cold, especially at night. He considered that Ruba was probably used to it; she'd been here for four years after all.

He stared at her back. Her hair was parted into three braids which met up again in a hairpiece bearing the Gerudo crest between her shoulder blades. They emerged as one thick braid which reached the back of her knees when standing. Now the braid whipped violently through the air like a red snake as the horse trotted along the grass. Considering her rank, Ruba wore less jewelry than expected. She had a jeweled armband and belt but no earrings or bracelets. There was an emerald that sat above her bangs, set in a metal hairpiece that connected to the lower one with a thin gold chain. Was the lack of jewelry a practical combat decision? Or was there something political? Her halberd was held in her right hand, its end stuck in a small indent by her stirrup to help hold it up. Sheik stared at her back as he tried to put together what he knew about her.

She came to Hyrule with Ganondorf on either his first trip when he assassinated the king or his second when he came with his large Gerudo force. The first trip had been under the guise of diplomacy, the coup completed using surprise and a small team of Gerudo and the treachery of men like Ross. It was possible Ruba had been in that small elite team. What had happened that made her stay away from the desert for four whole years? He doubted she enjoyed Hyrule. She was fiercely loyal to Ganondorf, valuing that loyalty above anything else, was it possible she just didn't want to leave his side?

As logical as that answer was, Sheik couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story. He just hoped his trip to the Gerudo Fortress would answer his questions.

The noon sun was high in the sky when Ruba spoke, "Let's let the horses rest for a moment."

As Sheik dismounted, he noted that his horse was breathing much more heavily than Ruba's. It seemed that Marla’s endurance was significantly less than the other horse's. Perhaps it was a breed difference, or perhaps Ruba just had a more powerful horse than the mare Malon had chosen for her first student. Hopefully giving the Horsemaster more information would help her become an ally.

Ruba removed a package from her saddle bag and sat on the ground, letting her weapon lean against her neck, arm draped over the pole. As she ate what turned out to be her lunch, Sheik pulled out a slice of bread and an apple he had stowed away from dinner and began to eat as well. He eyed Ruba; she seemed neutral right now. Only the regular look of annoyance. He decided to test his luck and talk to her, "It seems the Horsemaster's question about Hylian horses and distance running was spot on. Your horse doesn't seem phased by the run."

The captain gave Sheik a proud look and said, "Gerudo horses are trained in the sands of the desert. They often continue all day without stopping. Your horses may be fast, but I doubt they would make it out on the sands."

Sheik's hope that bringing up her friend would lead to answers was snuffed out when she didn’t continue. As soon as she finished her meal, she remounted and Sheik once again began following her.

The sun was nearing the horizon when the grass disappeared and they rode over rockier terrain. They crossed a thin wooden board that bridged a small trickle of water. Just past the stream was a large chasm. A bridge stretched over the forty-foot gap. It swayed slightly in the wind that whistled out of the chasm. Sheik could hear the roar of a river at the bottom and eyed the bridge doubtfully, but Ruba pressed on. Sheik was glad he was behind her so she couldn't see how tightly he gripped the reins. But, despite his fears, they made it safely across.

As they passed through a rocky canyon, Sheik noticed that the cool wind that had blown across the field was gone and the air began to feel thicker and drier. They emerged from the canyon as the sun set. Beyond, there was only sand. He knew  _ what  _ a desert was but he had never  _ seen  _ one. To see nothing but rolling dunes reflecting the orange sunset was awe inspiring. He turned away from the beautiful sight when Ruba steered her horse to the right. The rocky walls continued that way and Ruba seemed to be following them. 

"Ride next to me through here or they'll take you for an intruder." Captain Ruba's words echoed against the stone wall and Sheik nodded, bringing Marla up to Ruba's left. A bit farther, Sheik spotted a red-haired figure slipping between the rocks, though he didn't turn his head to take a closer look. They must be getting close.

Sure enough, they rounded one last corner and there it was--the Gerudo Fortress. A large building, its back end built into the stone wall which seemed to sprout from the desert sand. It was block-like, right angles everywhere creating many levels and corners. Sheik's trained eye couldn't help but notice that there were blind spots everywhere. It would be easy to sneak around in a compound like this. Of course, that also meant that it would be very difficult to be sure you weren't being watched.

Bronze-skinned, bejeweled figures patrolled the many levels of the fortress, carrying long spears and scanning the area below. Although, Sheik noticed, there wasn't anyone on the bottom level. They were expected at the fortress and Sheik wondered who would greet them.

As they got closer, a group of women emerged from one of the doorless entrances and made their way over. Sheik watched Ruba carefully. This was the first time she'd been home in four years. Sheik knew what that felt like and doubted she could hide her emotions. As expected, he saw a smile creep onto the ornery woman's lips as she surveyed the Fortress. However, her eyes were dark and Sheik saw pain there.

"Captain Ruba! I could hardly believe the scouts; it really is you!" One of the women exclaimed and Ruba dismounted and approached her. “Hello, Jumi, it's good to see you."

Jumi was covered in jewelry, tinkling with every movement as golden bracelets, anklets, and necklaces slid over each other. She was grinning broadly. "It's so nice to have you back. As you can imagine, there are quite a few people who are anxious to talk to you. But, oh . . . " Jumi put a hand on her hip and leaned to the side, grinning up at Sheik. "You've brought a Hylian. He's a bit young for you, Ruba, though those eyes are quite fetching!"

Sheik was glad his collar covered his lower face, because his mouth was hanging open. He stared hard at Ruba, wondering what she was going to say. Her voice was stern, "Control yourself, Jumi. He's not mine. This is Sheik of the Sheikah Tribe and he's come for the trials."

Now it was Jumi's turn to be surprised; her eyes, already enlarged by the dark makeup around them, grew even bigger. "My, my, this is a day of wonders. It has been quite a long time since a male went through the trials." Then she waved her hand in the air and let out a light laugh, "I'll try to keep the girls off him, so he can focus."

Sheik could see the muscles in Ruba's back, and since Jumi had started talking they had been tensing up. He heard the strain in her voice as she held her temper in check. "I would appreciate that. Now if you don't mind, I would like to speak to Aveil and get the trials started as soon as possible." 

Jumi and the two Gerudo at her side were all staring at Sheik with amused looks and he resisted the urge to shift uncomfortably in his seat. Noticing that she was being ignored, the captain cleared her throat and Jumi turned back to face her. Ruba held up a stern finger. "Remember that Sheik belongs to the king and is not here for your amusement. He's also more dangerous than he looks or I wouldn't have brought him."

Sheik couldn't decide if he should be flattered or insulted at that remark and decided to just continue doing a great job of sitting still and quiet on his horse.

Jumi didn't quite pout, but she was definitely disappointed. However, when she glanced back up at Sheik, he saw a calculating look that revealed she was not as frivolous as she seemed. He already knew she must be capable, she was a Gerudo after all and they wouldn't have sent just anyone out to greet one of their king's captains. However, she must not be in charge. Ruba had asked for Aveil, so she must have been the commander around here.

Turning to the Gerudo on her right, Jumi said, "Nikate, take Sheik to one of the guest rooms. And be sure to tell Mika and her gang that he's off limits. I'll bring the captain to Aveil's office to wait for her return."

With that, Sheik dismounted, and after giving the captain a parting salute, followed Nikate to the fortress as the third Gerudo took Marla and Ruba's horse.

_ Here I am at the birthplace of the Dark King. It's certainly not what I expected . . .  _


	60. Mika

His guide, Nikate, stayed quiet until they arrived at a wooden door. She opened the door, revealing a small room with only a bed in it. It was a strangely tall room, a window ten feet up filtered light through wooden shutters. 

"Stay in here until someone comes and gets you,” Nikate instructed. “I recommend you don't make any trouble; we aren't usually open to outsiders."

Sheik looked Nikate in the eye and nodded. She wasn't being harsh or antagonistic, merely stating fact. She shut the door and Sheik heard her walk off. The stone of the wall was pretty rough and Sheik had no problem scaling it to the window. Lifting the shutter, he was able to sit on the sill and look out.

He was two levels up from the desert floor. He caught sight of Jumi and Ruba just as they disappeared through an entrance covered in a red cloth.  _ That must be Aveil's office. _ Sheik scanned the parts of the fortress he could see, memorizing the layout the best he could. It was difficult; there didn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to the structures. He had a suspicion this was purposeful and the entire Fortress was built to be . . . well . . . sneaky. Sheik picked out countless ambush points, spy-holes, and carefully placed dead ends. It was impressive.

"Are you sure they put him in  _ this _ one?" The voice came from above him. From what he could tell, above his room was a flat roof. The voice was female, of course, and young.

"Of course, I'm sure!” Came another voice. “Nothing gets past me. Trust me, Hinako."

Sheik carefully made his way back in the window and climbed horizontally until he was bracing himself in the corner, at the same height as the sill, which was only a few feet away. He could still hear the voices.

"If you say so, Mika,” Hinako said. “But if we end up in someone else's room,  _ you _ have to talk us out of it this time."

_ Mika . . . that had been the name Jumi had mentioned. Something about her and a gang . . .  _

"Fine. Here, lower me down."

Two red satin slippers appeared at the window and were lowered to the sill. Once firmly planted, they were followed by hands and then shoulders. Now crouching, Mika poked her head in and looked down. Her hair, pulled into a ponytail on the side of her head, fell forward, conveniently blocking her view of Sheik.

"Huh! It's empty! Did they already take him?"

Sheik couldn't resist, he coughed to get her attention and the ponytail flipped as Mika turned her head towards the sound.

"Ack!" She flinched and lost her hold and started to fall forward. Sheik shifted his weight and threw one of his needles. It caught the loose part of Mika's Gerudo pants, pinning them to the wooden window-frame. It wasn't enough to stop her fall, but the time it took for her pants to rip was enough for Sheik to reach the window. He jumped a bit, and got his left hand around the window-frame and his right around Mika's waist. He grunted as both their weights strained his small grip on the window. He shoved her back half out the window until she was resting on her stomach, half in and half out. 

Hinako called out, "Mika!"

Gasping as the sill dug into her stomach, Mika grunted, "Shut up, you idiot! Do you want the whole fortress to see!?"

Sheik pulled himself up, until he was crouching on the crowded sill. Hinako's cry had indeed alerted some Gerudo. A pair of sentries on the desert floor looked over; Sheik could see them pointing and their laughs drifted up. He gave them a two finger wave and he saw one of them double over laughing. It was clear they knew exactly who was dangling out the window, legs kicking as she tried to get into a more composed position. 

Sheik let her struggle for another moment, before grabbing her shoulder and the seat of her pants and pulling her up so she could get her knee on the sill. Sheik and Mika maneuvered until they both had their backs to the frame, heads bent over their tucked knees.

Sheik raised an eyebrow, "Mika, I presume?"

She somehow managed to flip her hair. "My reputation precedes me."

"Would you like to come in?" He asked.

Her eyes flicked to the inside room and Sheik shifted until he could leap down. He jumped to the opposite wall and then back flipped to the floor. He looked up at Mika. Her astonished look was worth the trouble.

After a second she recovered and in a lighthearted voice asked, "Why don't you come out with me? I'm sure you'd have more fun outside this dreary room."

"Thank you for the offer, but I have orders to remain where I am."

She waited to respond, like she expected more explanation than that. When he didn't give any more she sniffed. "Well, here I was ready to show you the Fortress, maybe even help you eavesdrop on Aveil and Ruba's meeting, and you just embarrass me and stay in your room like a child."

Sheik cocked his head. He didn't know if Mika was capable of arranging any such thing, but even if she had been, it was too late now. "I'm afraid any plan of sneaking away is over now that you've been spotted. I doubt it will take too long before Jumi or Aveil know you were here."

"He's right," Hinako's voice from the roof piped in.

Mika let out what Sheik assumed was a Gerudo curse. Sheik worried that she might just give up. He  _ could _ use an ally familiar with the Fortress. And she  _ had _ found out where he was remarkably quickly. "However, I may have a way of . . . circumventing my orders with your help. I'm assuming the Horsemaster is around?"

"Of course, but what does she have to do with anything?" Mika asked, curious.

"We are acquainted and if you were to mention where I was, I imagine she'd want to have a word. My orders were to stay here until someone came to get me . . . " He trailed off letting her connect the dots.

"Alright, I follow, but why should I help you?"

"Why did you come here in the first place? My guess is because you don't get many visitors out here. If you get me out, you can ask me as many questions as you want."

"And you'll answer them all honestly?"

_ Obviously not. _

"I can't guarantee that,” Sheik said. “But we might be able to come to some arrangement once I'm out. My promise is that if I am free to leave and not needed by Captain Ruba, then I'm yours."

That seemed to satisfy her. "I'll see what I can do, but first tell me your name."

"I am Sheik of the Sheikah Tribe."

"Well Sheik, you just wait! Aveil may think she's the queen of this Fortress, but I know it better than anyone!"

With that, she stood up and, with Hinako's help, her feet disappeared.

_ We'll see . . .  _


	61. The Gang

About twenty minutes after Mika left, there was a knock on Sheik's door. He opened it and there was the Horsemaster. She grinned when she saw him. "So you're really going to do the trials? It has been ages since we've had a male give it a try."

Sheik bowed. "It is good to see you. Have you seen the captain yet?"

The Horsemaster's face grew concerned, but then her smile returned. "No, not yet, she's probably meeting with Aveil first. I can still hardly believe she's here." The Gerudo gave Sheik a smirk. "So, I heard you cut a deal with our little local devil."

Sheik remained expressionless and the Horsemaster chuckled before giving him a hard look. "I don't know what you two are planning, but I warn you that if you upset anyone here, there'll be hell to pay. Don't forget that I know your track record with young ladies. Mika is not defenseless like Malon."

That cut Sheik to the core. Malon's bruised face flashed in his mind, but his face showed nothing, and he merely nodded. The Horsemaster tried to read Sheik's face to no avail and sighed. "Alright, she got me here, but didn't tell me what you needed."

"Ah well, it's what  _ you _ need. I believe you wanted to compare a Lon Lon horse to one of your own long distance?" Her red eyes lit up and Sheik smiled. "I thought so. Anyway, I made sure to borrow one of Malon's horses for the trip over."

The Horsemaster continued, "So of course you'd need to leave this room and show it to me, wouldn't you?" She chuckled and waved for Sheik to follow.

As he expected, the Horsemaster had enough authority that no one questioned them as they made their way through the Fortress until they came out the side. There was a large stable, about twice as big as Lon Lon's, and a track lined with targets.

Sheik walked down the stalls until he found Marla. "This is Marla, obviously she's no match for Epona, but she still was able to keep up with the captain's horse."

The Horsemaster immediately began inspecting Marla who accepted it without any objection. "Alright, you'd better go find Mika. I'll send a message that you're here with me. Tell Mika to have her gang ready to get you back before Ruba and Aveil come to fetch you."

Sheik left, the Horsemaster who didn’t bother to waste another glance his way now that she had Marla. At the stable door was another young Gerudo. This one was shorter than Mika, with hair down to her chin, held out of her face by a gold circlet. When she spoke, Sheik recognized her as Hinako. "Come on, we probably don't have much time. But don't worry we'll get you back."

She hesitated for a moment, but then reached out and snatched Sheik's hand, pulling him back towards the fortress. She knew exactly when to stop to avoid the sentries, what doors led to less used halls, and even Sheik lost track of where they'd gone by the time she stopped. Mika's gang did seem to be capable. 

Finally, she pulled back a tapestry similar to the ones Sheik saw in Ruba's office and revealed a small door. With a giggle Hinako opened it and shoved Sheik through. Sheik nearly lost his balance on the sharp slope on the other side. The passage was skinny and dark; Hinako pressed her hands on his back and pushed him downward. Sheik held his left hand in front of him and let his right hand trail the wall.

"Turn left." 

Sheik obeyed and could see the passageway end at a hole in the ground a few meters ahead. A light was glowing from the hole and when they reached it Hinako shouted out, "We're here!"

The hole looked down to an eight feet drop and Sheik jumped down landing in a crouch. The room was windowless and doorless. Rugs, pillows, tapestries, and other decorative pieces were everywhere. A chandelier sat balanced in the center and its candles illuminated the room. Mika was smiling down at him, hip cocked out to the side. "Welcome to my domain, Sheik."

Expressionless, Sheik stood up, brushed himself off, and looked around. There were five other Gerudo girls around Mika's age, his too, he realized with a start. The tallest was sharpening a gilded dagger and had the shortest hair Sheik had seen on a Gerudo, cut only a few inches long and sticking out everywhere. A set of twins, each wearing the traditional high ponytail that fell to their waists, were laughing and eating some sort of fruit Sheik hadn't seen before. Another girl was lying on a pile of pillows, her feet up and her head dangling off the end. Her braid dangled to the floor and when she blinked, Sheik saw that she had painted her eyelids a bright blue that matched her lips and outfit. He almost missed the last girl, a small thing with hair like Hinako's, though her asymmetrically cut bangs hung in front of her face. She peeked over a wooden chest almost as tall as her. She couldn't be older than eight.

Sheik gave Mika the Sheikah salute and her grin widened. "This must be your gang?" He asked.

Mika turned and pointed at the oldest girl. "That's Kito. The twins are Yumi and Yuki, the lazy one in blue is Azumi, and the little one is Hinako's little sister, Aida."

Hinako dropped behind Sheik. "I got him here, Mika, so I get the first question!"

Mika rolled her eyes. "Fine, little miss interrogator. Sheik, come sit over here."

She led him to a pile of pillows and when he sat down, she plopped down next to him. He tried not to react when she leaned over and touched his hair. "It's so bright! I'd heard Hylians had yellow hair, but I've never seen it."

Hinako stood in front of Sheik, legs outspread as she leaned down and peered at Sheik. "I’m pretty sure Hylians don’t have red eyes. Are you really Hylian? And yes, Mika, that's my question."

Sheik gently grabbed Mika's hand and removed it from his hair. "I am not. I am the last member of the Sheikah tribe. All my people had red eyes."

Azumi twisted around and propped her chin on her hand, "Wait, so you're the last one?"

"Yes."

There was an awkward silence and then Mika grabbed Sheik's shoulder."Whatever you are, you're mine for now and I want to know if you're really going to take the trials?"

Sheik was incredibly uncomfortable; Mika and her friends seemed to see him as a toy and curiosity. As there were no men regularly here and from what he'd heard Gerudo say about men amongst themselves, it made sense. Gerudo either saw males as inferior or as amusements. The obvious exception being their king, the only male Gerudo.

Once again, Sheik gently took Mika's hands and removed them from his person. Anger flashed across her face and Sheik realized if he wanted to get anything out of this situation, he needed to draw some lines without ruining their fun. He answered her question, "I do intend on completing the trials. I'm hoping it will help me understand the people of my king. We both have many things we want to learn from each other. So, why don't we make a deal; a game of sorts?”

The twins walked over and stood by Hinako. They looked down at Sheik, at each other, and then at Mika. Hinako also turned to their leader, whose eyes narrowed. "We aren't children. If you think you can come into my lair and challenge me, I would remind you that there are seven of us and one of you."

There was the sharp Gerudo side Sheik was familiar with. In Mika he could see the meshing of the adults like Ruba and Jumi. He didn't want to cause any trouble here, the Horsemaster's warning ringing in his head. 

"Of course not,” Sheik explained. “I believe we are the same age. I just meant a game of intrigue. We make exchanges, either deeds or questions, and trade them like currency. For example, I would like to know about Aveil. What would you like in exchange?"

Mika was still looking at him suspiciously, not sure if he was taking her seriously. Kito spoke up. "I want to fight him. He serves the king and came with Captain Ruba. He can't be a pushover."

Mika turned to her oldest member, who was pointing the dagger she'd sharpened in Sheik's direction. They seemed to communicate with a glance and Kito shrugged and lowered the dagger. Mika waved a hand, "Mmm, okay, so Kito wants to fight him. Anyone else?"

The twins looked at each other and nodded. One of them spoke quietly, "We want to know about . . . the king."

_ That might be a problem. But maybe not . . . I can probably be honest about him to his own people. _

Mika nodded, "Azumi?" The girl looked Sheik up and down very slowly and smirked, "You wouldn't let me."

Rolling her eyes, Mika turned to Hinako who tucked her hair behind her ear and said, "I want to know more about Hyrule. About how the war is going, what a Sheikah is, how he convinced the captain to return, and—"

Mika interrupted, "Alright, so, lots of questions from Hinako. I have a few myself. And what about—"

A tiny voice came from right behind Sheik and he flinched. He hadn't heard Aida come up behind him, her huge yellow eyes staring at him. "I want to play with his hair."

Laughing, Mika agreed, "Don't we all!"

_ Oh Goddesses... _

"Alright Sheik, let's play your game. Let's start with Yumi and Yuki's question."


	62. Answers

"The king is the most powerful person I have ever seen. His presence demands respect and you can feel that he is something more than a man. Everything about him exudes power. Power to command a kingdom, power even to rule the world."  _ An honest answer.  _ Sheik felt he’d answered satisfactorily.

One of the twins asked, "So you've actually met him?"

"I have the honor of serving His Majesty and have indeed spoken with him on occasion. Though, like most of his servants, most of my orders are through the captains."

The twins’ eyes were wide and Sheik realized that they would have been nine or ten at the time their king left; and as far as Sheik was aware, Ganondorf had never returned to his homeland.

"My turn,” Sheik said, “tell me about Aveil."

Looking at each other again, the twins answered in short bursts, finishing each other's statements.

"She's the leader here."

"Yeah, for the last four years. She's alright."

"Pretty easy going compared to some. Don't mess with her though."

"Because she's one of the best fighters here in the Fortress."

"Before she was leader, she was second-in-command."

"The king left her in charge."

"She didn't want to leave her home."

"War isn't really her thing. Fights, sure."

"But not, like, a whole campaign."

Sheik nodded. Four years . . . had the previous commander left with Ganondorf? Was it Naoku? Ruba would have been too young back then to be a plausible candidate. Hinako stepped forward. 

"One question at a time, Hinako," Mika teased and Hinako gave her a look. Those two seemed more at ease with each other. They looked the same age, and Sheik guessed they had been friends for a long time.

"What's a Sheikah?" Hinako asked.

Sheik adjusted to sit up straighter, the pillows had been slowly eating him, and stared right into Hinako's eyes as he answered. "The Sheikah are shadow people. Trained in the arts of stealth and espionage. For generations we were loyal to the Hyrulean Royal Family. Now that they are gone, I serve the new ruler with the same loyalty my ancestors were famous for."

While Hinako had the look of a student who just learned a fun new fact, Kito eyed Sheik with a new respect. It was a calculating look and Sheik wondered if he really would have to fight her.

Sheik turned to Mika and asked, "Why has Captain Ruba not returned to her homeland in four years?"

He saw Kito stiffen, but Mika grinned and leaned closer to Sheik. "Oooh, asking the juicy questions. The scandal of four years ago." She raised her hand to her mouth as if giving up a great secret, but she didn't lower her voice. "Four years ago Ruba's older sister, Nabooru, disappeared."

Sheik must've shown some surprise because Mika looked delighted and leaned in further. "Before Aveil, Nabooru was in charge. She led the Gerudo through a prosperous age and filled vaults, like the one we’re in, full of treasure. But when the king came of age and took charge . . . "

Here Sheik could see nervousness in Mika's face. It had to have been a hushed story if she felt nervous telling it in her own lair. " _ Well _ , Nabooru didn't think he should be in charge, and she left for the Spirit Temple to find a way to defeat him."

_ Spirit Temple! _

Kito stepped forward and finished the story, "Koume and Kotake, the twin witches, found out and stopped Nabooru. She never returned from the temple. The captain was shocked that her own sister would betray the king. Her own hard earned position was put in jeopardy and she left with the king's forces as soon as she could. Abandoning the shame of her sister's act, and climbing the king's ranks until she was captain. She hasn't been back because this place is a reminder of that taint on her reputation."

Mika looked upset at being interrupted, but Kito's serious expression, although still taut with emotion, stopped any objection. Obviously Kito admired Ruba. Sheik thought about her challenge; she probably wanted to test him the way Ruba had. He would have to watch out for her. Hopefully Ruba wouldn't find out Sheik had been asking about her past. If he wasn’t careful Kito might report on him. To prevent that, Kito needed to think he was also on Ruba's side. They had arrived together; it wouldn't seem too unlikely. 

"I think the captain has little to fear for her reputation now.” Sheik said, nodding at Kito, “she is known throughout the castle as one of the most loyal of the king's troops. He trusts her more than almost anyone else." Kito seemed pleased with his response and returned to her pile of weaponry.

"Enough about the desert,” Mika said. “I want to hear about Hyrule. Tell me about where you're from." Sheik turned to Mika to answer her command as she stood up. She walked behind Sheik and then kneeled, draping her arms over his shoulders, until her head was right next to his, "Go on. Tell me about your home."

Sheik really wanted to remove her arms again, but he realized she was asserting her dominance after being interrupted and decided the best diplomatic course of action would be to soldier on. "I'm from Kakariko Village. It's east of Castle Town and at the foot of Death Mountain. It's small, but old. It was originally only a Sheikah village, but as my people died out, Hylians were invited in. We have some contact with the Gorons of the mountains, but mainly deal with Hylians from Castle Town."

Hinako couldn't contain herself. "What's a Goron? Why is it called Death Mountain?"

Sheik sighed; this would take a while.

Mika stood up by pushing on Sheik's shoulders. "Yuki, go to the stables. Run the message to Yumi at Station G if Aveil or the captain start looking for Sheik."

The girls nodded and ran towards the hole in the roof where Sheik noticed there was a bar hanging nearby. The twins jumped up, grabbed this bar and flipped themselves up and out of the hole. It reminded Sheik of the exercises he had seen Ruba working on.

"There now we can pick your brain without worry." Mika slid next to Sheik and wrapped her arms around his.

_ Joy. _


	63. Aveil

As annoying as it was to explain to Hinako the geography, people, and landscape of Hyrule, it was worth the reward. Hinako was very knowledgeable of her people's traditions. She told him the Spirit Temple was out to the west in the desert and that it was in the shape of the Sand Goddess, the multi-armed deity whose statue had been in Ruba's office. Like the Sheikah Shadow Temple, the Spirit Temple was older than any record. It was hardly ever ventured to, but was rumored to contain a magical artifact.

_ In the goddess of the sand . . . that was the location of a sage. The Spirit Sage. _

While Aida played with Sheik's hair, something he prayed would never leave this vault of secrets, he found out about the political division between the Gerudo. Once they got going, Mika's gang was quite chatty. Apparently most of the Gerudo who lived at the Fortress weren't big supporters of the war. They were happy the way they were, thieving their way to the good life. 

When Ganondorf left, the Gerudo who left with him were the ones who believed the prophecies that the only male born in a hundred years was the destined king to take over Hyrule in the Gerudo name. The chosen one of their goddess. The religious leaders, the twin witches, had raised Ganondorf until he was old enough to become king. The girls didn’t mention any discontent among the Gerudo that left when they departed. Something must have happened to create the rift Sheik had seen back at the castle.

However, the division of their people worried many Gerudo. Most of the best warriors had left with Ganondorf and he’d taken many of the treasuries to fund his war. Mika's lair was one of the emptied vaults. Azumi told him the war was a subject of hot debate in her family. Her mother was against the war, thinking it would be best for the king to return home and help them improve life in the desert. Surprised, Sheik learned her aunt was Avoka, the weapon master at the castle. Apparently, Avoka had left with Naoku in one of the earlier waves. Avoka had also not been back to the Fortress, she and her sister having had a fiery argument before she left.

Sheik was spared hearing about the repercussions of the drama on Azumi's personal life when one of the twins popped her head down the hole and announced that Sheik needed to hurry and get back to the stables.

Mika grabbed Sheik's hand as he was running it through his hair, hoping to remove any signs of tampering, and pulled him to the exit. After he jumped up, she followed and pushed him down the passageway. The girl could not keep her hands to herself.

They made their way out from behind the tapestry and Mika pulled him to the exit, Sheik stopped and extracted his hand from Mika's. "Thank you Mika, for everything."

She smiled and reached up, brushing his bangs back from his eyes. "You sound like you’re saying goodbye. Who knows? Maybe, we can have more fun later." She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek before running back down the hall.

Sheik also had to run. As soon as he opened the door, the other twin informed him that Ruba and Aveil were both only a minute or two away from the stables. He sprinted along the wall of the fortress, turned behind the stable and jumped through one of the windows. He landed in an empty stall and looked frantically up and down the long barn. Spotting the red hair of the Horsemaster he raced down to her. She didn't even pause her brushing of Marla when he stopped next to her breathing hard. "Glad you’re back. I guess this means they're nearly here."

Just then the barn door flew open and Captain Ruba stormed in. "Sheik, why were you not in your room! You were given direct orders to—"

The Horsemaster finished for her. "Stay there until fetched. Which I did. Sheik promised me a Hylian horse to test and he delivered. Of course, I would much rather have seen you."

The captain looked at her, then to the expressionless Sheik, then back to the Horsemaster. There was intense emotion in the Horsemaster's face as she looked at Ruba. Sheik had spent enough time with the captain to tell that she was doing her best not to show any herself. Probably because Sheik was there.

He turned to the second Gerudo who had entered the stable. She was wearing jeweled red satin and had metal gauntlets. He saluted. "You must be Aveil. I am Sheik of the Sheikah Tribe; I am honored to be allowed in your country."

Aveil smiled, "Yes, it has been a very long time since we've had a male come to take the trials. I'm looking forward to it." She glanced over Sheik's shoulder at Ruba and the Horsemaster. "Let's head back to the fortress. These two have a lot of catching up to do."

Sheik followed Aveil out and she led him to the cloth covered entrance way he had seen Captain Ruba enter earlier. Through the door was a short hall that led to Aveil's office.

The Gerudo symbol took up most of the wall behind Aveil's desk which was covered in papers and baubles. Aveil sat down and put her elbows on the table, resting her head on her hands and looking up at Sheik. "Your trial will begin at noon tomorrow. It consists of three parts: the dungeon, the duel, and the range. If you pass all three parts I will award you honorary membership to the tribe. It has been given to males before, but very rarely, so I hope you understand the honor you have been given by even getting a chance."

"I understand, and I have no intention of wasting such a valuable opportunity by failing."

Aveil smiled at that and leaned back in her chair. "I like your confidence. Since the captain is hosting you, a meal has been prepared. Get some rest; you've used enough of the night already. The captain and I will fetch you shortly before noon."

Sheik got the impression that Aveil knew that he had slipped away for some part of his stay so far, but she also didn't seem concerned. In fact, for a Gerudo leader, she seemed fairly laid back. He gave her another salute and left to return to his room.

Finally, he would take the Gerudo Trial.


	64. Gerudo Training Grounds

_ Rope. I should bring rope. _ Aveil told Sheik there would be a dungeon involved and he didn't want to be unprepared. However, he also didn't want to bring his whole pack fearing it might slow him down in combat. Eventually, he compromised by removing the thin rope and tucking it into the quiver at his side. He slung the Gerudo bow over his shoulder and was just making sure he had all his needles, when there was a rap on the door which Sheik answered to find Aveil and Captain Ruba. Aveil looked as serious as Ruba and there was a general sense of solemnity. They waved Sheik to follow and silently made their way out of the Fortress.

Once outside, the Gerudo led Sheik to a barred entranceway. The woman guarding the door reminded Sheik of Hinako. She gave him a calculating and curious look before turning to Aveil who gave her a nod. The woman clapped her hands and the gate began to slide open.

As the grating noise of the gate echoed across the desert, Sheik realized how quiet it was. There were no other Gerudo around. When the entryway was clear, Sheik strode forward. He sensed Ruba following him and standing in the entranceway he heard her hiss. “Don't embarrass me."

_ Thanks. _ Though, he thought he  _ did  _ heard some sort of encouragement in Ruba's voice. In fact, he had sensed excitement seeping through the solemnity of both Ruba and Aveil. From the emptiness of the fortress, he imagined that somehow the Gerudo would all be eagerly watching his trial.

Sheik began walking down the dark hall which, after a few moments, lightened revealing a large circular room lit by standing torches. Complex patterns decorated the wall and directly in front of him was the carving of a lion, mouth opened wide to reveal a door. The room smelled of dry dust.

Glancing around, Sheik spotted two more lion doors to his left and right. Aveil's voice suddenly boomed out,  _ "To pass this test, you must collect the Gerudo treasure! The door before you leads to that prize, but first you must strive to obtain the keys hidden in the other chambers!" _

Not unfamiliar with mystical ethereal voices giving him orders, Sheik accepted the strange event and turned to his right, walking toward that door. When he touched it, it slid upwards and he entered into a small circular room.

_ "You have one minute to defeat your enemies!" _

Two pairs of yellow reptilian eyes focused on Sheik, and the two armed lizalfos leapt forward. However, Sheik was more worried about the third occupant of the room. A strange rotating pillar standing at the center. As the lizalfos leaped, the pillar’s rounded top opened and an eye appeared, blinking at Sheik.

He leapt to the left, avoiding the closer lizalfos' swing. Drawing his kunai, Sheik kept his eye on the pillar. His instinct told him it was the more dangerous foe. Its painted pupil focused on Sheik and with a quick blink, it turned red and a beam shot out. Dodging it, Sheik saw the beam had burned a line into the stone floor. He could feel the heat it had given off.

The eye didn't stop and Sheik had to run in a circle around the pillar to avoid getting burned. Meanwhile the lizalfos were leaping over the beam at him, slashing their swords in the air and making their strange clucking noises. Sheik stabbed one in the throat as they passed each other, avoiding the ray. He threw a needle at the other which pierced its eye and brain. The beam cut the corpse in half as it fell.

Continuing to circle the pillar, Sheik noticed that it couldn't rotate its beam quickly. He sped up and when he was directly behind the eye, the beam stopped. It continued to spin, but more slowly, searching for him. Sheik took the chance to run towards it and jump on top. Perched on the eye, Sheik struggled to keep his balance as it spun faster and irregularly to try and dislodge him. He had intended to stab the eye, but when the beam stopped the stony eye lid closed.

Sheik stuck his kunai under the eyelid and pried it open. It was difficult, but Sheik only needed it open enough for his second kunai to slip in. When the blade struck, it felt like breaking glass and the spinning stopped. Sheik felt a slight tremor in the pillar and jumped off. He wasn't fast enough, however, and the pillar threw him against the wall as it exploded.

Sheik groaned as he stood up and brushed off debris, relieved to see his bow was still intact. There was a thump, and turning Sheik saw a small chest had fallen from the ceiling. He walked over and leaned down to open it. Inside was a small silver key which he slid the key onto one of the buckles of the quiver and walked room opposite this one.

Like before, the door slid open at his touch. A wave of heat hit him and he staggered backwards.  _ What in Hylia's name . . .  _ He stepped forward and saw the room was filled with lava. A few platforms inconceivably stuck out of it, and strange silver rupees hovered in the air above them. If Sheik had doubted something supernatural was running this place, he was sure of it now.

_ "Now, cross the sea of fire!" _

Across the lava was another door. To the left was a tall cliff, and Sheik could just see an opening on top of it. To the right was yet another door; this one barred.

Checking to make sure his quiver was securely tightened, Sheik got a running start and leapt to the first platform. When he touched the rupee, it vanished and a step emerged from the tall cliff.  _ Ah. _ The fake rupees were some kind of switch.

He was just preparing to reach the next platform, when  _ something _ flew out of the lava and towards him. He side-stepped out of its path and saw that it was . . . a winged flying skull . . . on fire? It landed back in the lava and Sheik hastily moved on.

A few more jumps, and encounters with the skull, and Sheik had reached enough rupees to be able to climb the cliff. At the top he was awarded with the second small silver key.

From his vantage point he could see another rupee-switch in a ring of fire and next to it a large brass button. He jumped down to the button pressing it, and sure enough, the fire went out. However, a ticking sound started. Sheik rushed in, touched the silver rupees, and quickly jumped back. The ticking stopped and the fire wooshed back up.

Sheik wiped the sweat from his eyes; the heat was getting to him. The fire may have disappeared for a moment, but the last platform had still been especially hot. He looked around, and saw that the only rupee left was in the doorway across from the entrance. Unfortunately, it was far too high for him to jump to—even from the cliff. 

He checked his surroundings, searching for a solution and noticed a strange target above the door. Hoping it wasn’t going to start shooting blasts of fire at him or something, he pulled the thin rope from his quiver and tied it to his arrow. Coiling the rope near himself, so it didn't get lost to the lava, he shot the target. The arrow stuck and Sheik tested the rope’s tension. 

Praying to Hylia he wasn’t about to do something stupid, he put the remainder of the rope over his shoulder and jumped off, climbing as quickly as he could away from the heat. His hands were sweating and for a panicked moment he thought he would slip. Nevertheless, he made it to the top. When he pulled himself over the edge and touched the last rupee he heard metal moving. He turned and saw that the door on the other wall was now unbarred.

He groaned as he realized he would have to cross the lava pool one more time. He yanked the rope free of the embedded arrow and replaced it in his quiver. Luckily, from his tall vantage point, he was able to jump nimbly back across the lava and roll through the door. As it closed behind him, the temperature reached a more comfortable level. 

Sheik stood. This room only had a single clear pool of water. Peering into it he could see yet more silver rupees, a small harmless looking school of fish, and some suspicious large shells covered in spikes.

Sheik removed his bow, quiver, and tabard and placed them next to the pool. Keeping a wary eye on the shells, he kept one kunai in his hand as he dived into the water. The cool water felt wonderful on his hot and sweaty skin, but as soon as the bubbles from his dive cleared, he noticed the shells move. They seemed to be jumping from the floor, trying to clamp him and pulling him to their spiky edges. 

Sheik did his best to avoid them; using the wall as a guide to collect all the rupees. He had to kick away the monsters a few times but he got the job done. As he emerged, gasping, from the pool, another small chest fell from above. Now soaked, Sheik opened it and added the key to his collection. Then he put his dry, and still warm, tabard back on and slung his bow back over his shoulder.

_ So far so good. _


	65. Completing the Trials

After surviving a maze with rolling boulders, shooting a statue while on a rotating platform, a sandy room filled with stalfos, and even finding rooms and chests that were invisible to the naked eye, Sheik had a collection of seven keys. Slightly worse for wear thanks to a fake door that had again given him a bit of a beating, Sheik made his way back to the main room and the lion door that led to the ‘Gerudo treasure.’

Entering it, he found a maze of linked metal walls with layers of locked doors. He carefully peered through the walls and scoped out the path that would only lead to seven doors. One by one he opened the locks and made his way towards the center, where a large chest stood.

Sheik approached it carefully, he had no idea what the 'Gerudo treasure' could be. He had not thought to obtain any reward besides respect. Carefully, he lifted the lid. A cold air drifted out of the chest, and Sheik saw a small open case of arrows. The arrows glowed slightly in the dim light, a strange blue aura that seemed to end in wisps, like breath on a cold morning. Sheik had already suspected the Gerudo had a strange selection of magics that weren't only seen in the twin witches, but here was proof. Gingerly, he picked up the case and removed an arrow. He tapped the chest with the tip and frost quickly crept over the surface. When the wood cracked, Sheik stopped touching it. He carefully placed the arrow back in the case and slipped it into his quiver, which was now many arrows short of what he’d started with.

Sheik considered the strange things he had seen in the training grounds. The lava pools, invisible walls, and of course Aveil's ethereal voice. In a way, the mysterious magics reminded him of Sheikah magic. However, besides Koume and Kotake, the Gerudo seemed out of touch with this assumedly ancient skill. These arrows had some sort of cold magic. Having the ability to create ice  _ would _ be a useful skill if you lived in the desert.

Making his way to the main room, Sheik wondered about his next tasks. A duel and the archery range. Who would he be dueling?

Aveil was waiting for him as he emerged from the lion door. "Congratulations. You have completed the first part of the trials. Follow me to the range."

Sheik nodded and when they reached the archery range, he could see that the whole fortress had indeed turned out to watch. They crowded around the range, some standing on the higher levels of the Fortress and looking down. He tried not to stare at the crowd and instead fixed his gaze on the Horsemaster who was standing at the front of the range. She was grinning at Sheik and holding Marla's reins. To Sheik’s relief there was a full quiver on Marla's saddle. He mounted and gave Aveil a nod. 

At Aveil’s signal the Horsemaster announced dramatically. "You have twenty arrows and one run up and down the range. Each target is worth 100 points if hit precisely and you must achieve 1,000 points to fulfill your trial."

Sheik pulled out his bow and cocked the first arrow. Then he led Marla in a circle so she would be leading with the correct leg at the turn at the end of the range. He eyed the line of straw targets and pots, planning the best strategy.

"Begin!"

At his kick, Marla started off at a trot. He pulled back the bowstring and aimed at the first target. His arrow hit slightly off center, but he was already preparing to loose the next one.

_ Crash! _ The brown pot below the target shattered as Sheik's arrow struck it. The pot after it followed. He had hit all six pots when Marla approached the turn where there was a large target hanging. Sheik shifted his focus to it.  _ Whap, whap, whap! _ With lightning speed, he hit the center three times as Marla turned.

Ignoring the cheers from the crowd, Sheik focused on his next run down the line. He planted four arrows in the center of the first target. The first to hit the second target was off center, but he corrected and the next two were bulls-eyes. As his last three arrows planted themselves in the center of the final target, Sheik took a deep breath.  _ Thank you Malon. _

He had done it. The crowd of Gerudo were cheering and Sheik turned to them. He gave a salute and then led Marla back to the Horsemaster. After he dismounted, the Horsemaster gave him a hearty slap on the back. "Well done, Sheik! Well done! I had no idea you could shoot like that."

Then she steered him towards Aveil, and whispered in his ear. "I won't say anything, but I saw Malon's hand in that riding. I can't help but wonder how long you've been planning this."

Sheik didn't react. He walked up to Captain Ruba, who was now standing by Aveil, giving her a salute. She had a slight smile on her face, though he was sure if the crowd wasn't there she would still be frowning at him. But, she wasn't hostile, so Sheik knew she must have approved of his success thus far.

Aveil stepped up to Sheik and put a hand on his shoulder. Then she raised her other in the air and announced. "Sheik of the Sheikah tribe has completed the first two portions of the trial. To seal his success and entrance as an honorary member, he must now prove his fighting spirit against one of our own. As you all know, normally the opponent would be the most recent graduate of the trials. However, due to the . . . unusual . . . circumstances of the trial, Sheik's opponent will be one who completed four years ago. A Gerudo who wishes to test her mettle against a member of the king's army. Kito, step forward.”

_ Kito! _

The tall teenage Gerudo emerged from the crowd. She had a determined look on her face, and Sheik could see her eyes flicking towards Ruba as she made her way to stand in front of Sheik. Kito was carrying a spear and had a strange circular leather case on her left hip. On her right was a hook with brass rings jingling on it.

Sheik's mind raced. He didn't want to embarrass Kito; he didn't need to be the cause of anymore bad blood among the Gerudo. However, he couldn't afford to lose. He didn't think Kito could beat him—after all Ruba had tested him herself. He just needed to gauge her abilities before attacking.

The two opponents saluted each other and Aveil announced the start of the fight. Kito moved first, thrusting forward with her spear. Sheik dodged easily but Kito smoothly rotated the spear around her, not giving any opening.

Sheik weaved around her attacks, judging her reaction speed and ability. She was decent, but Sheik was not moving as fast as he could and she clearly was. After she had had a chance to show a few impressive maneuvers, Sheik went on the offensive. The next time she thrust forward with the spear, Sheik moved towards her instead of away. He grabbed the spear with his left and hand and chopped at it with his right. The pole shattered and the tip fell to the ground.

The crowd roared; some cheering, others yelling angrily.

Kito threw the remainder of her weapon at Sheik, who effortlessly dodged it. Then she opened the circular case. She removed four brass discs and slipped them on her arms. They stopped on her forearms and wrist. She removed some smaller ones from the hook and held them in her hand. Picking up the first one up with her index finger, she began whirling it around.

_ Chakram! _

It was the sharp circle weapon Avoka had explained to him back at the castle. She had said they were very difficult to master, but incredibly efficient.

Sheik barely dodged in time as the first circle came whizzing at him. It was fast! More came, hardly a pause between them. Kito was throwing them in all directions around Sheik, making it difficult to dodge the swarm.

One caught Sheik on the edge of his shoulder. It hardly slowed as it sliced through his sleeve and arm.

_ Two can play that game! _ He didn’t have nearly as many needles as she had discs, but he doubted she could dodge while attacking like he could. He shot two needles at her, aiming for her arms.

Sure enough she had to stop her attack to move out of the way. Even then, she couldn't dodge both and one needle embedded itself in her shoulder. She gasped when it hit, but kept moving. She moved backwards, throwing her discs and increasing the distance between them. It wasn't long before she was out of his range.

However, her discs were also losing accuracy. Sheik started to close the distance, but stopped when he saw her pull another large disc from the case. She grabbed this one carefully on the edge and threw it underhand. It whistled towards Sheik and he stepped to the right.

The disc swerved in the air, curving to follow as Sheik dodged. Shocked, Sheik had to drop to the ground, to prevent the disc from taking his head off. Even with such a large distance between Kito and him, the disc whistled as it flew over Sheik's head; apparently unaffected by the distance it had traveled. Sheik turned and saw it still flying down the range.

With a weapon like that Sheik was at a huge disadvantage. He sprinted forward, quickly closing the distance. Kito desperately tried to slow him down, peppering him with her smaller discs. But Sheik was at full speed, and it was only a few moments before he was too close to use the small discs on.

He kicked at her legs, but she dropped down and grabbed at his foot. He barely managed to pull the kick back before she caught him. She grinned at him wickedly and he realized the danger he had barely avoided. The discs she had put on her arms were deadly sharp. If she had grabbed him, she could have raked the razor edges against his leg, crippling him. He had no hope in a grapple. She twisted and swung her arms at him, using them like a sword. Sheik dodged and danced out of her reach, desperate to stay away from the blades.

She had the advantage in a close fight and at a distance. On top of that, this was a type of offensive fighting Sheik had no experience with. He couldn't predict how she would move to take advantage of her arm chakrams. Even if he blocked them with his kunai, all she would have to do was slide her arms and the next circle would slit his wrists. The only vulnerable point he could see were her legs.

She clearly knew that, since she dropped to protect herself the last time he went for a low kick. He glanced at Kito's face as he continued to stay just out of her arm's reach. She had a look of triumph on her face, baring her teeth.

_ Never assume you will be victorious. _ One of Impa's countless combat mantras came to Sheik's mind. Kito may have trained extensively, but he doubted she had ever actually been in combat besides training with her fellow Gerudo. She was just as unfamiliar with his style as he was with hers. If she thought she had the better of Sheik, she would be easier to trick. Sheikah combat style was about deception, and Kito was ripe for some.

Sheik pulled out his kunai and began to use them to knock Kito's arms away, never staying in contact long enough for her to roll the chakram onto him. When he sensed she found a rhythm with his kunai, he tossed one in the air and feinted left. As expected, Kito couldn’t resist following the blade’s ascent for a second before returning her focus to Sheik. That split second was all Sheik needed to switch his remaining kunai from his left hand to his right while pulling out of the feint. 

He moved in, thrusting his left hand up at her arm, like his previous kunai attacks, pretended the blade was still there. She twisted her arm to catch the expected blade but instead his hand slipped between the two chakram and grabbed her arm. Meanwhile, his right hand—holding the kunai—slipped through her guard and hovered at her throat. They both froze. There was a small clang as the tossed kunai hit the ground behind them.

Sheik felt cold metal on his ear. Kito had her left arm around his head, the chakram ready to rake across his face and neck. Kito snarled, her face inches from his. "What now Sheikah? Are you willing to risk your life for this victory?"

Sheik smiled, his eyes flashing mischievously. Then he pulled back his left leg, which he had slipped behind hers when he had done his first feint. He pulled his arms in and held Kito's shoulders. Her leg swept out from under her and Kito fell backwards, her arms naturally spreading out to catch herself.

She landed on the ground with a thump; Sheik pushing himself over her in a roll as she landed. He stood up and turned around. Kito had cracked her head hard on the ground. She sat up, but lost her balance when she tried to stand. Sheik held his kunai by the tip and poised to throw it.

"Yield, Kito."

He knew she wouldn't. But he thought Ruba would approve if she had the chance to refuse. Sure enough, she somehow managed to spit at him, even though her eyes looked a bit crossed. He moved forward and kicked her in the jaw and she fell backwards unconscious.

Sheik turned and saluted Aveil who nodded and walked forward, raising Sheik’s hand in the air once more. "Sheik is the victor! As such, he has completed the Gerudo trials and I, Aveil, leader of the Fortress, under authority of His Majesty King Ganondorf, declare Sheik of the Sheikah tribe an honorary member of the Gerudo!"

The crowd cheered and Sheik gave them all one more salute. Aveil handed him a card bearing the Gerudo symbol. "This is your membership card. You won’t need it around here since everyone saw your victory, but it may come in handy with our sisters in Hyrule."

"Thank you." Sheik said, tucking his precious prize in his pocket.

Captain Ruba stepped up to stand behind Sheik. He saw Aveil glance at the captain and then she turned to announce. "Unfortunately, the captain and our newest member must return to their duties in Hyrule as soon as possible. After the victory banquet we will wish them a safe journey back to our king."

There was a mixed reaction from the crowd, but everyone started to file back into the Fortress. Sheik couldn't help but be grateful for a banquet, the adrenaline was wearing off and his body ached. Plus, his shoulder was still dripping blood. But before he left there was one more thing he felt he should do. He turned to the captain. "Kito, the Gerudo I dueled, those weapons she used were chakram, right?"

Ruba raised a surprised eyebrow. "Yes, they are not often used. How do you know their name?"

"I found some in the weapon room one day. Avoka explained what they were. She said they were difficult to use and few had the discipline to master them. I have to admit I was surprised to see someone so young using them."

Ruba looked over to where a pair of Gerudo were carrying Kito back to the fortress. "She was impressive,” the captain remarked before glancing at Sheik suspiciously. "Why do you bring it up?"

"Something she said to me when we fought reminded me of you. Or maybe it was just her anxiousness to see me without a head. Anyway, she seemed to have a drive the other Gerudo here at the fortress don't have." Sheik shrugged and followed the crowd. Captain Ruba, well aware Sheik was dropping hints, watched Kito disappear into the Fortress. 


	66. Good-bye Mika

Sheik popped a piece of sweet pink fruit in his mouth, surprised to find himself enjoying the banquet. The Captain had wisely made sure Sheik was placed between her and the Horsemaster. He had spotted Mika's disappointed face when the two women flanked him and sat him down. While he was sure Mika would've been more talkative, he couldn't trust her to behave in front of everyone. Besides, it was amusing to see the Horsemaster manage to pry a smile or two from Ruba. The two  _ had _ been childhood friends, and apparently had mended the rift in their friendship. Sheik even learned the Horsemaster's name; the captain had called her Ona, often chastising her for bringing up their childhood.

Halfway through the banquet, Kito arrived. Her shoulder was bandaged and her arms and head were obviously bruised. Nevertheless, she held her head high and the Gerudo all cheered on her entrance and argued who she would sit by. She ended up on the other end of the room from Sheik and was quickly joined by Mika and her friends. Kito bitterly glanced at Sheik, sitting at the captain's right, multiple times.

Eventually, the meal finished and the Gerudo broke into smaller groups, chatting and joking with each other. Many came and tried to strike up a conversation with Sheik. He was polite, but cold, and soon they gave up. As soon as it seemed appropriate, Sheik excused himself and went to his room to pack for Ruba and his inevitable departure. When he reached the door a voice called out behind him.

"You were going to leave without saying good-bye?" He turned and watched as Mika made her way over to him.

"We never met, Mika, remember?" He said sternly.

She gave him an exaggerated pout. He responded with a hard, cold look. She sighed and flipped her ponytail over her shoulder. "Fine, leave me here to die of boredom."

Sheik snorted. He doubted Mika could ever allow herself to be bored.

Mika gave him a wicked look, "I suppose I can always get amusement out of telling everyone about our newest initiate's day in our lair . . . "

Teasing or not, Sheik couldn't risk anyone knowing about what questions he had asked. He let his voice grow dangerous and cold. "That would be a bad idea." 

She stuck her chin out, "And what would you do about it?"

He took a step closer to her. She stood her ground, but he saw her waver. "You care about Kito, right?"

Surprised by the question Mika narrowed her eyes. "Of course I do."

"And you know, of course, that the reason she was picked to fight me was because she was desperate for a chance to show off to Captain Ruba. I was generous enough to point out her efforts to the captain. If I were to tell her Kito was so loose lipped about the captain's past, I wouldn't be surprised if Kito lost her head, let alone any chance of joining the captain's battalion. I told you Sheikah were spies; think about all the information you so recklessly bargained away."

Mika looked shocked. Sheik could see her link all the pieces of the web Sheik had so carefully woven. She now had a glance into the dangerous game Sheik lived in, and she took a step back.

Sheik shrugged. "Of course, if no one were to ever find out what was said that day, then Kito now has a very good chance of fulfilling her dream. In that case, you could say what you gave away was a fair price."

He turned and opened his door. "Good-bye, Mika."

When he shut the door, he felt immense satisfaction. He was finally done with his long plan and had even gotten more than expected. The card would help him with the Hyrule Gerudo, he knew the captain's past, and most importantly he knew about the Spirit Temple. Even though it seemed Nabooru was assumed dead among her people, Sheik couldn't shake the feeling that she was still in the temple. He felt certain she was the Spirit Sage. Forest, Light, and Spirit. He knew half of the sages. And on top of it all, he had passed the trials, which meant he had won the bet with Ruba. He was  _ finally  _ going to get his harp back.


	67. Kito

When Sheik saw Kito mounted next to the Captain he gave Ruba a surprised look. He had thought the captain would send for her later. Kito looked proud, but Sheik could see the nervousness in her eyes and she kept glancing at the captain. Ruba ignored Sheik’s look.

He considered that Ruba was making some sort of statement by bringing back a young talented Gerudo girl from the desert. Probably trying to re-establish ties with the Fortress Gerudo after shunning them for four years. That, and bringing Kito back would soften the fact that Ruba had primarily made the trip for Sheik's benefit.

With Sheik’s arrival, Ruba turned her mount and began riding away from the Fortress along the stone wall. The captain had been anxious to leave, so they hadn't waited for morning. Sheik doubted Ruba intended to continue through the whole night, but suspected she didn't want Sheik spending any more time in the Fortress, now free to wander with his membership card.

Sure enough, about a third of the way into Hyrule Field, the captain told Kito and Sheik to set up camp. They were along the forest edge, and Ruba sent Kito to get some wood. The young Gerudo set out quickly, eager to please. Sheik slowly unpacked Marla's saddle and watched Ruba who seemed to be in a meditative mood. She hadn't spoken the whole trip. It wasn't her normal  _ I'm refusing to speak to you on principle _ silence, but rather like she was deep in thought. Kito had been quiet too, but Sheik could tell she'd wanted to talk to the captain. 

As for Sheik, he'd given them some distance, riding a bit away from them. Now he decided to take advantage of Ruba's unusual lapse in watching his every move and slipped into the darkness to find Kito. He found her breaking up a large fallen branch. 

"Careful not to go too far into the woods," Sheik warned.

Kito whirled around, a broken branch raised like a javelin. Sheik stepped out from the shadows and into the moonlight. 

"The Lost Woods are near here,” Sheik continued. “If you wander in, you'll never return."

Kito held her head high. "I'm not afraid of you, Sheik. What do you want?"

"Just to make sure we understand each other. I have a very . . . delicate . . . position at the castle and I don't need any loose ends."

Once Kito arrived at the castle, it wouldn't be long before she realized how many people would rather see Sheik gone. If Ruba even hinted that she'd like to see Sheik backed into a corner, Sheik doubted Kito would stay silent about his questionable visit with Mika.

"What do you mean?" She asked warily.

"I mean that my time with your friends needs to stay secret. If you're coming to the castle you need to know that things are very different there. Spilling secrets about high ranking officer's families to the court spy is something that could get you killed."

Kito's mouth opened as she realized what Sheik was saying. He added, "I don't have any intention of causing you any problems. Rise in the ranks and impress Captain Ruba to your heart's content. But if you mention anything about my going behind the captain's back, you'll go down with me."

Rage flashed across Kito's face. "You little snake!"

Sheik laughed, "You sound more and more like the captain every day. Anyway, I'd better get back before she realizes I've slithered away. Just keep your mouth shut and if you're lucky, you'll never see me again." With that Sheik turned around and quickly vanished into the night.

_ That'll keep her from letting anything unfortunate slip. _ While Ruba might be annoyed that Sheik knew about her sister, if Ganondorf found out . . . Sheik shuddered. He still had three more temples to find; the Dark King couldn't know he was looking for them.

When Sheik got back to the camp, Ruba was still sitting there, staring into the darkness. Sheik laid out his bedroll near the ring of stones Ruba had arranged for the fire and she turned to him. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she realized she hadn't been watchin. He gave nothing away and laid down, waiting for Kito to come back.

When she did, she didn't look at Sheik and just started making the fire. However, Kito couldn't hide that she was upset, and Ruba wasn't an idiot. Sheik could see her glance from Kito to Sheik and was sure she suspected he had said something to her. Sheik closed his eyes and the captain said nothing to him. He listened as she and Kito ate and then the captain said she would take first watch.

He was sure she watched  _ him _ the whole time.

_ That's right, captain. We're back; back into the convoluted web that is Ganondorf's army. _


	68. Back

When they arrived at the castle, Ruba quickly ordered Kito off to the barracks and a pair of Gerudo appeared to guide her. Kito's eyes were wide as she took the castle in, and the Gerudo teased her as they took her away to their wing.

Sheik gave Marla's reins to the Hylian stable boy. He'd have to get her back to the ranch eventually. Ruba was about to head off to the Gerudo wing herself, but Sheik stopped her. "Excuse me, Captain. May I have a word with you?"

Captain Ruba nodded, and Sheik followed her to her office. Once the door was closed, she growled, "What is it?"

"I won the bet."

Her eyes flashed, and Sheik wondered if he'd pushed her too far. It was clear she was upset over the trip and maybe he should have waited to claim his reward. "I just want what is mine returned." He said as reasonably as possible.

The captain harrumphed and then went to one of the many chests that lined the walls. Originally, Sheik had just assumed Ruba knew where the harp was, but after the trip he had become more convinced that she had kept it. She seemed to have a strong sense of reverence for the mystical. She removed Sheik's carefully crafted harp case from the chest and handed it to him.

He opened it, revealing the golden harp. As soon as his fingers touched it, a strange tingling sensation flowed over him and it felt like the world got lighter. The sensation was so strong that Sheik felt a bit light headed. He carefully placed the harp in his pack and then gave Captain Ruba a salute. "Thank you, Captain."

She gave another harrumph and watched Sheik with the frustrated and suspicious look that seemed to permanently be on her face when he was around. 

When Sheik made it to his room, he eagerly pulled out the harp. The sensation returned, but less strong. He sighed and ran his fingers over the strings. It was odd; he felt like a part of his soul had been returned.

Sheik wanted to play something; more like he felt compelled to, but he resisted. He still had to report to his captain. He put his pack on the bed and slung the harp case over his shoulder. What would he tell Captain Knuckle?

He thought about his report as he made his way to the outer corridor. He was halfway to the office when Sheik realized something was different. There was no crushing feeling of dread, no disturbing flash-backs, nor feelings of powerlessness. He reached the captain's door, grateful for the respite from the dark aura. As usual the door swung open, and Sheik saluted and began his report.

"I succeeded in completing the Gerudo trials, sir. As for Captain Ruba, she seemed guarded and anxious about returning to the desert. Obviously, I found out she had not been there in four years and there was tension because of it. However, during our brief time there, I believe the rift between the captain and her people has been lessened. I met Aveil and I can report she is leading well and has respect for the throne. There are still Gerudo at the Fortress who disapprove of their king, but they are few and not likely to form any resistance."

The booming, ethereal voice of Captain Knuckle answered, "Very well. You will return to your normal schedule and await orders."

Sheik saluted and made his way back to his room. The dark feelings never came, even when he was talking to his undead captain. Sheik puzzled over it until he was back in his room and took off the harp case.  _ The harp! _ Could it be? He pulled the harp out. Was the Goddess Harp protecting him? It had to be.

Sheik sat down and closed his eyes. His fingers hovered appreciatively over the strings. Was it safe to play here? He placed his fingers, barely moving them, imagining the sounds they'd make. He remembered his dreams, the song the girl had taught him.

The melody filled his mind and his fingers moved on their own, brushing each string as their sounds rang in his head.

It was like falling asleep. One moment he was in his room in Ganondorf's castle, the next he was in a large green field, an enormous blue sky above him. There was a soft voice behind him. He turned and saw the girl again. Her blonde hair blowing in the gentle breeze.

"Hello again, Sheik."


	69. A Peaceful Place

"It has been a long time." The girl smiled at Sheik as he walked towards her. It was strange to see her when he was sure he was awake. 

"Who are you?" He asked.

The vision rippled, like a reflection on water, and the girl frowned. "Don't ask me that. Not yet. It's too dangerous."

"Can you tell me why I keep seeing you?"

"I'm here to help you. Now, I can't stay long, not while you’re in  _ his _ castle. The harp will protect you from the evil of this place, but you mustn't let anyone know. He is not unfamiliar with its power and if he guesses it is the Goddess's harp, he will destroy it."

The girl reached forward and took Sheik's hands in hers. Her crystal clear blue eyes stared into his. "I am afraid for you, Sheik. Afraid you will lose yourself in the role you've chosen."

Those eyes grew darker and Sheik could see images in them. The castle, ringed in red, he could hear screams and his heart raced. The girl slumped forward, the movement pulling him out of the vision. He caught her and lowered her to the grassy floor. Her eyes were still wide and unfocused, like she was still seeing beyond.

Finally, she blinked and looked at Sheik with concern. "Your hands . . . "

Sheik looked at his hands; they were red. He pulled away from the girl, leaving crimson marks on her white dress. Blood dripped from his fingers.

"What is this?" His voice shook.

"I'm sorry, I took you too deep. I can't always control the visions."

Sheik held up his hands, shouting. "But what does this mean?!"

The girl gave him a sad look, twisting her own hands, like she was washing them. "It means someone is going to die; that you are going to kill them."

Sheik looked back at his hands, the blood was gone, but they were shaking. The girl stood up and backed away. Her face twisted with distress. "I'm so sorry. This was supposed to be a peaceful place. A place for you to escape. I shouldn't have come. I just wanted to help, to do something besides watch . . . " Her voice grew faint and she began to fade.

"Wait! Come back!" Sheik shouted, but it was no use; the girl was gone. He hit the ground in anger. He'd thought the girl had been Hylia, but surely the Great Goddess would've been more in control. This girl was so . . . human. Who was she? It was incredibly frustrating. He felt he knew her, but he couldn't think of who she was. Whenever he tried to think about where he'd seen her before, his head hurt and pounded until he put her out of his mind.

With a sigh, he let himself fall into the lush grass.  _ A peaceful place, huh? _

His heart was still racing from the vision, but it slowed as he rested, staring up into the blue sky. As he lay there, he began to feel rejuvenated. Like he was becoming whole again. All the regrets and pain seemed to seep out of him and into the soil. The cold that sat in his heart every time he played the villain, thawed.  _ Creepy visions or not. I'm glad I'm here. Wherever here is . . .  _ It felt like an eternity later, but eventually Sheik sat up.  _ I can't stay here forever. _

The moment the thought formed, the field faded and Sheik found himself back in his chair, the harp in his lap. There was a rap on the door and Sheik stood up quickly. He hurriedly put the harp back in its case and slung it onto his back before answering the door.

A grinning skeletal face greeted him. Sheik didn't flinch, and the stalfos reached out, handing him a piece of paper. Sheik took it and nodded. The stalfos nodded back and walked away, returning to its eternal patrol. Sheik opened the folded piece of paper.

_ The king requires your presence. Report to the throne room immediately. _


	70. Ganondorf’s Request

Sheik decided to risk bringing the harp.

He hoped that as long as it stayed in its case, Ganondorf wouldn't guess what it was. He had already seen Sheik with the harp in Kakariko, so there was no hiding that he owned one. Besides, Captain Ruba may have already reported that she had returned it.

As he entered the cold outer corridor once more, he was grateful he had brought it. It was nerve-racking enough to be in the Ganondorf’s presence again, even without having to trudge through the dark aura getting there.

Soon the grand doors to the throne room were in front of him. A stalfos and a decidedly uncomfortable looking Gerudo stood guard at the door. At his approach, they reached over and pulled the doors open. Sheik took a deep breath and strode in.

Ganondorf was sitting on his dark throne and Sheik walked up to the base. He knelt and bowed his head. "You sent for me, my lord?"

Even with the harp's protection, Sheik could feel the crushing sense of power coming from Ganondorf. "Yes, Sheikah, I have a task for you."

Sheik looked up, and Ganondorf signaled for him to stand. He did and the king pointed to a table to his left. Sheik turned and saw the twin witches hovering above the table, upon which was resting a large black box.

"Open it," Ganondorf commanded.

Sheik walked over and unclasped the box's lid and lifted it. Inside, nestled in black velvet, was what appeared to be a large egg. It glistened like obsidian except for flickering fiery splotches.

Ganondorf continued. "In two days, I'm going to launch an attack on the Gorons of Death Mountain."

Sheik heard the king stand up and walk towards him. "Most of my army will march through Kakariko and up the mountainside."

Sheik didn't move, but Ganondorf guessed his concerns. His voice was mocking. "Don't worry, I won't let them touch that pathetic village you care so much about. Not yet, anyway."

Ganondorf now stood to Sheik’s left, looking down into the box. His lips curled into a smile. "While my troops attack the Goron village, I want you to make your way up the mountain and into the crater where the Fire Temple lies."

_ Fire Temple!  _ Sheik stayed perfectly still, hanging on every word.

"There you will find a safe and lava filled spot to leave this egg. It must be far from the entrance so that no meddling Gorons will disturb it." Eyes glowing in the egg's red light, the king looked up at one of the witches hovering above. "It's a creation of Koume's magic mixed with my own. Eventually it will grow into a dragon that will guard the temple and hold the mountain in my name."

The Dark King turned back to Sheik. "Of course, if you are to enter the heart of the mountain, you will need some protection. Koume!"

Sheik stepped back and one of the witches flew down and stared at him with her bulging eyes. "Kehehe, give me your right hand."

Sheik held up his hand and her thin bony fingers clamped on his wrist which burned for a moment, making Sheik flinch. When she removed it, there was a golden band locked there, red veins running across it like lava.

"There! That will keep you from burning into a delightful crisp." The witch cackled and Sheik rubbed his wrist; the band was still uncomfortably warm.

Ganondorf returned to his throne and gave Sheik a last look. "Go to the mountain and wait for my troops to arrive."

After a last bow, Sheik closed the box and picked it up. It was heavy, but not unmanageable. He left the throne room, ignoring the curious look the Gerudo guard gave him and the box.

He did his best to avoid the living as he made his way back to his room. Quickly, he re-arranged his still packed bag to accommodate having the box on top of it. He tucked some brown cloth around the box to make it stand out less, and shouldered the heavy load. He imagined he looked like an overly prepared hiker. It would be a pain to avoid attention this way, but Sheik couldn't fail a mission given directly by his king.

Without delay, Sheik made his way to the stables. He retrieved Marla and was soon galloping out of the castle. Countless eyes followed him on his way out, but he didn't care. Let them know the Great King Ganondorf had sent him on a mission.


	71. The Village Elder

Sheik knew he had to do it. Even if it was a bit out of the way, he had to go to Lon Lon Ranch. He needed to return Marla and if he was going to Kakariko, he knew he should check for a letter to Talon, as well. He owed Malon that much. He sighed and steered Marla over the bridge and away from the stairs to Kakariko. It was a little after noon, so there was no way he could sneak Marla in without Malon seeing him.

Sheik approached from the back of Lon Lon and left Marla happily grazing behind the wall. Then he ran around to where the house would be and climbed up the wall, carefully setting his pack and the egg box on the ground. He expertly made his way down to the house and up through Talon's window. The door was shut and the room empty. On the desk were three letters, neatly stacked and tied with twine. He pocketed them and carefully listened at the door. Everything was quiet, so he slowly opened it. He walked to the stairs and heard the quiet mutterings of Ingo.

As he silently made his way down, Sheik was relieved to see that Ingo was alone. Predictably, he was poring over papers covering the table. He had upgraded his outfit; he now had a stiff ruffle collar around his neck, no doubt thinking it made him look high class and noble.

"Ingo."

The poor man let out a small shriek and flew a foot up off his chair. He turned, and stared at Sheik, clutching his chest. Sheik didn’t react and said, “The horse I borrowed is behind the ranch. Make sure it makes its way back to the stables."

Ingo nodded, and Sheik turned around to head back up the steps. He went out the way he came and retrieving his pack crossed Hyrule Field to the mountain pass. He felt that sick twisting feeling again; he felt like a coward.

_ It's better this way. I said I wouldn't come back. _

He could feel the letters as they softly bounced with his tabard as he ran. At least he was keeping his promise. He knew he should probably read the letters, but he didn't want to.

As he reached the corner that rounded into Kakariko, he paused. Should he go around the village? The villagers hadn't had a close relationship with the Gorons in years. The way up the mountain had been kept locked up and guarded since before Ganondorf took over and destroyed the Hylian army.

He doubted anyone would be informing the Gorons of anything, including any suspicions they might have of his mission. But if Ganondorf's army was going to march through the village, he had to warn them to stay out of the way. It probably wouldn't take much for the Dark King to set the village on fire once more.

Sheik shifted the heavy pack on his shoulders, straightened, and walked around the corner. There was a shrill whistle from the rebuilt watchtower and the few villagers who were walking about quickly went inside. Doors slammed and shutters closed. Patiently, Sheik waited at the entrance of the village until the elder appeared. He walked slowly up to Sheik, leaning heavily on his cane. His dark, wise eyes peered cautiously under his thick white eyebrows.

The town elder was in charge of Kakariko whenever Impa was away. For as long as Sheik could remember, he had guided the village. So it was strange to Sheik that the wizened old man looked so unsure. He waved for the elder to follow and walked to Impa and Sheik's old home.

As they approached, Sheik saw the red and blue men quickly vacate the building and scurry inside another home. Sheik pulled open the door and held it for the elder who shuffled inside. Despite the negative opinion some villagers had of Sheik, it seemed their respect for Impa remained and the house was still largely undisturbed. 

Sheik carefully lowered his pack to the floor and sat at the table. The elder joined him. The man was still staring at Sheik, like he was trying to put together some puzzle. For someone who knew Impa for so long, Sheik was sure the elder couldn't believe a Sheikah had joined the Dark King. He was sure that was why the elder seemed so on edge.

"In two days, the king's army will attack the Gorons of Death Mountain," Sheik said solemnly.

The elder's eyebrows raised and his hands started to tremble. Before he could speak, Sheik continued. "Obviously, that means they are going to march through the village. My agreement with the king still stands, and he has assured me no harm will come to Kakariko. Of course that's assuming his army passes through undeterred. I want you to make sure none of the villagers do anything that might endanger themselves. We mustn't let anyone break the tentative peace."

The elder clenched his hands and his face grew dark. He finally spoke, his voice airy, but harsh. "Peace! What peace? The kingdom lives in constant fear of its barbaric ruler."

_ No, please. Don't fight this . . .  _

The old man pointed a crooked finger at Sheik. "You come here and tell me an army is coming to destroy the innocent Goron people, our neighbors for generations, and then talk of peace?"

Worry and anger welled up in Sheik. Was the elder really going to risk the village? No, Sheik had worked too hard and given up too much to keep this small corner of Hyrule alive! 

Tapping deep into his dark persona, Sheik stood up, his red eyes flashing angrily. He spoke slowly, every syllable laced with poison. "You  _ will _ keep the villagers in line. If I hear another word against the king, I will remove your traitorous tongue."

The elder's face turned pale, but his mouth was set in a thin line, defiance still in his eyes. Sheik's voice took a mocking tone. "As for your 'neighbors,' where were the Gorons when Kakariko burned? You would have every man, woman, and child slaughtered for the sake of a people most have never even seen?"

Sheik sat down again. "You won't tell anyone about the attack until tomorrow. Everyone will remain in their homes until the army is through the mountain gates. I will stay here to make sure there aren't any . . . complications."

_ The last thing I need is some idiot from the village warning the Gorons. That would definitely put the village in the line of fire. _

Anger still simmered in Sheik. Why couldn't the elder just trust him? Had Sheik really changed so much? This was  _ his _ village; he was just trying to save the only family he had left. He growled, "Do we have an understanding?"

The elder nodded stiffly and stood up. He shuffled to the door. As he opened it Sheik said, "Oh, and send Talon here."


	72. Understanding Risks

When the elder left, Sheik stood up and started to pace. The conversation had bothered him far too much. The darkness he had channeled stuck in his mind like a cobweb. He scolded himself; he knew he'd have to toe the line of darkness to succeed in his quest. He already made that decision. But to have the elder look at him like that . . . 

Kakariko was his home and it hurt Sheik to realize he didn't belong here anymore. He stopped and stared at the bracelet locked on his wrist. The ribbons of red light still danced over its surface. As long as Sheik was on the inside of Ganondorf's forces, he couldn't expect to belong with those who lived in the light. It may be the only way for Sheik to protect Hyrule, but it chained him down.

The door opened and Talon stepped in interrupting Sheik’s thoughts. When Sheik heard the door close, he turned to face the rancher.

Talon looked older. Sheik knew Talon had been a happy, carefree man before Sheik came into his life. Now sadness was etched on his face. Sheik pulled the letters from his pocket and held them out. Light returned to Talon's eyes. "Are those . . . "

"Letters from your daughter," Sheik confirmed. Talon stepped forward, hand raised to take the letters, but Sheik drew them back. "I need you to do something for me first."

Sheik had expected some of the fire Talon had shown last time, but the man just sighed. "What is it?"

"How are the villagers treating you?"

Talon showed some surprise at the question, and his answer was suspicious. "Well—they are good people."

"So they've accepted you into the village?"

Fear crossed Talon's face and he stepped back. "You're not asking . . . I won't hurt anyone!"

Sheik shook his head. "I'm not going to ask you to. You're a peaceful man, Talon. I just need your help keeping the village safe. Sit down."

Nervously, Talon sat at the table, in the same seat the elder had sat in. Sheik continued, "I just had a chat with the village elder, and as you may have noticed, we had a disagreement. I told you last time I came that this is my home. Although the people here may not understand, I  _ am _ trying to keep it safe."

Talon opened his mouth to speak but then closed it. His eyebrows furrowed, and he gave Sheik an odd look. Sheik leaned on the table. "Talon, what I want you to do is make sure none of the villagers do anything to put the village at risk. You and I know all too well that the best way to keep the peace is to avoid getting in the king's way. It's the reason I still have letters to bring you. You and your daughter cooperated, and you are both safe."

Sheik put the letters on the table, out of Talon's reach, and tapped them. "And don't worry; she  _ is _ safe. She's found a powerful protector, in fact. You’ll be pleased to hear that my meddling with your old home is at its end."

Hope appeared in Talon's eyes and Sheik added, "But no, that doesn't mean you can go back. Not yet. Things are still too . . . delicate.”

Sheik stood up and paced, "That's the problem here in Kakariko, too. The king may have spared it once, but if anything  _ unsettling  _ were to happen, Kakariko would burn. You say that the villagers have been kind to you, so return the favor. They don't understand like you do the jeopardy they are in.”

He looked Talon in the eye, making sure that he understood the seriousness of the situation. “In the near future, there will be an unfortunate opportunity for the village to do something stupid. If that were to happen, they would be lost. I'm not sure the elder took my warning to heart, which is why I want you to keep an ear out. If it seems like anything is stirring, I want you to let me know. Can I have your word?"

Talon looked at Sheik then at the letters and then back to Sheik once more. Sheik was sure Talon saw it as making a deal with the devil, but Sheik couldn't afford to tell Talon he would stop any insurgency without violence, if possible. Talon wouldn't believe him anyway.

The man scratched his neck uncomfortably. "Fine. I'll do it."

Sheik nodded and slid the letters over. Talon grabbed them and held them close. Sheik waved his hand at the door and Talon eagerly took his leave.

_ Two days. Hylia, let them be uneventful ones. _

Sheik collapsed into a chair and pulled out his harp. Now outside the castle, he let himself play aloud. It wasn't a specific song, he just let his fingers guide themselves. The notes wavered in and out until he settled on a melody. It was tense, but beautiful. Rising and falling in short bursts. The rise was almost peaceful, but the tune continuously pushed forward, retaining its urgent sound.

Finally, Sheik stopped and let the notes fade away. The frustration and anger were gone.


	73. Incubation

Sheik hardly left the house during the next two days. Between Talon's occasional report and Sheik’s own nighttime scouting, he was fairly confident the villagers weren't going to put themselves in danger. So, Sheik spent most of the day going through the Sheikah records he had skimmed last time. In particular he read more about the sealing of Bongo Bongo. It seemed important that there was an evil spirit sealed in the village and that apparently there was another ancient Sheikah structure under the well. He also just wanted to see Impa's handwriting again.

Besides Impa’s writings, Sheik studied and managed to decipher the notes and with careful examination, the title of the 'Nocturne of Shadow.’

Alone, and with time to spare, he played the haunting melody. Just like when he fled the castle the night Impa died, he felt his body vanish into light and he flew through the air, over the village, into the graveyard, and onto the ledge where the entrance to the Shadow Temple was. The melody faded and his body returned. 

_ Well, this could be useful.  _ It would also be convenient for the Hero to have a way to get to the temples quickly. Besides knowing who the sages were, Sheik needed to find the songs as well.

He leapt over the fence and back down into the graveyard, returning to the house. No doubt he baffled the villager who watched his house from their window and the thought made him smile as he opened the door.

He knew where the Shadow Temple was  _ and _ its song, but who was the Shadow Sage? He had the Forest completely figured out. There was another song he knew . . . The Prelude of Light . . . the princess had found that one. It was tempting to play the song, but he didn't know where it would take him and he didn't have time to trek back to Kakariko if it was far. Besides, it didn't really matter. The Sage of Light was Rauru and he was already awakened.

The Spirit Temple was in the desert and Nabooru was inside. Sheik didn't have the song, though. It would probably be part of the Gerudo culture; sacred but forgotten like the temple.  _ Captain Ruba might know. _ Sheik wasn't sure if he could ask her, but given the captain’s fascination with the ancient and sacred, it was a good lead.

_ Fire. _ Sheik still couldn't believe that Ganondorf himself had told him where the Fire Temple was. Inside the crater of Death Mountain. It was the most dangerous place yet. How would the Hero get inside? Who was the sage? Sheik stared down at the ever warm and pulsing gold band on his wrist. He needed the witch's magic to survive the heat. It was too hot for anyone but a Goron.

_ A Goron! _ That had to be it. The Fire Sage had to be one of the Gorons. The rock eating race made their home in the mountain, their thick skin protected them from their home's hot interior. But, Ganondorf's army was about to march up the mountain and try to wipe out the Gorons. Sheik bit his lip; there wasn't anything he could do to stop the attack. He had to fulfill his mission and it was too risky for him to warn the Gorons. But what if they killed the Fire Sage?

The Gorons were a tough people. This wasn't the first time they had opposed Ganondorf since the coup almost five years ago. Sheik just had to have faith that the sages would be there when the Hero came.

Sheik glanced at the covered box where the egg was. A dragon egg incubated in the Fire Temple. No doubt it was Ganondorf's safeguard against the prophecy Sheik had told him. Sheik only hoped the Hero would return before it was grown...

On the third day, Ganondorf’s army arrived at noon. Led by Captain Naoku and Captain Ross, lines of soldiers, Hylian and Gerudo, marched into Kakariko Village.

The village was quiet, shutters closed and the watchtower unmanned. There was an energy in the air, like static electricity, it buzzed silently with fear and discontent. The army marched through, making its way to the mountain pass. Every hidden eye watched except Sheik who obediently used the show to get ahead of the army and begin his secret climb up the mountain. He made through shadows from the graveyard, which he had teleported to at the first sign of Ganondorf's army, over rooftops and to the pass.

He ran up the mountain path, dodging red tektites, grateful to only hear the sound of marching echo up the pass and not the sounds of a villager's senseless rebellion. The tektites bounced around him, trying to rake him with their spindly legs. Sheik wanted to just kill them so they would stop, but he couldn't leave any evidence he was here, so he just continued to dodge and outrun them. He skidded to a halt as he saw two hulking figures staring down over the cliff edge.  _ Gorons! _

"Brother, do you see that!"

"Ganondorf's army has come at last! We have to warn Big Brother!"

Sheik pressed himself against the wall, hoping to stay unnoticed. The tektites were slowly bouncing up the trail. If they got much closer they'd give him away. Luckily, the Gorons bent over, tucking themselves into rock-like spheres and rolled rapidly up the path to the right.

As soon as they were out of sight, Sheik rounded the corner. He prayed the Gorons would defeat the swiftly approaching army. Wooden signs pointed the way to the Mountain Summit or to Goron City. With a last glance down the path the Gorons had taken, Sheik began to climb up the boulder covered path to the summit.

The heavy pack cut into his shoulders as Sheik pulled himself over the last ridge. He rolled his shoulders gratefully as he saw that the next stretch was relatively flat. Of course there was a sheer cliff at the end that Sheik knew he'd have to climb. He flexed his fingers as he walked towards the cliff face in anticipation or the difficult task. 

A dark shadow growing a few feet ahead of him interrupted his moment of relaxation. He paused and watched as it grew bigger and a whistling filled the air.  _ KABOOM! _ A massive, red-hot boulder crashed to the ground, shattering and sending rocks flying. Sheik leaped back in shock and skidded to avoid one of the flying pieces. As soon as he recovered, he noticed more shadows growing and more whistling. He looked up and saw another wave of volcanic debris plummeting to the path.

Suddenly poignantly aware of how small he was compared to the mountain and the boulders it spat, Sheik ran frantically towards the cliff. Bits of rock hit him painfully as he ran, but he avoided getting crushed or thrown off the side of the mountain. He leaned against the cliff, panting. Looking up, he was relieved to see that the curve of the mountain protected the cliff face from the flying rock. He also noticed some old posts, nailed into the cliff face. Evidence of past climbers.

Gratefully, he used them to make his way up the side. It was hard to maneuver with the large box strapped to his back, and the thought of the valuable but breakable egg inside was worrisome. He reached a ledge and heard the tell-tale scratching sound of a skulltula. He looked up and saw that one had inconveniently made its home halfway between Sheik and the clifftop. Its spider legs latched firmly to the cliff face. Sheik threw one of his needles at it and the monstrous arachnid hit the rock far below with a crunch. Sheik checked the straps on his pack and continued the climb.

With a final grunt, he stood up at the top of the cliff. There was another wooden sign and a cave opening.  _ "Death Mountain Summit. Entrance to crater ahead. Beware of intense heat!" _

Sheik looked down at the band around his wrist. Hoping the witch's magic worked, he stepped through the cave entrance. A blast of heat hit him and he staggered. The massive cavern was lit only by the glow from the pools of lava. 

He could feel the heat in the air and knew as he walked towards the nearest pool that it should have been unbearable. But there was also a strange pressure around Sheik, and while he wouldn't say he was comfortable, he was not burning alive.

Despite the protection, Sheik was anxious to leave. He made his way deeper and deeper into the cavern. The deeper he got, the clearer it was that this was actually an ancient structure. He found a room with pillars and doors carved with spiraling images. He went through the largest one and found a room with a section of floor ringed by lava and spattered with smaller circles of yet more magma. He leapt to the center. Through the distorting heat waves and low light he saw a strange shape lying on the floor between two pools. He walked closer. It was the top of a massive skull.

It was dark like the igneous rock around it, but it was definitely a skull. There were two dark eye sockets and two massive horns that curled up from the base and then back down like a ram’s. It was the skull of a dragon.

Sheik removed his pack and opened the black box. The dark egg was glowing brighter than the lava, red rippling under the surface. Sheik picked up the egg, sensing that without the band it would be too hot to touch. He lowered it into one of the lava pools next to the skull. When he let go, it bobbed and Sheik could just make out a small shape inside. It was a small dark spiral; the dragon fetus of a dragon Sheik had just placed in the perfect incubation chamber.

With a last glance at the skull, an indicator of the monster that would grow here, Sheik left, tossing the box in the lava where it melted and sank. He made his way back towards the chamber and was about to exit the crater when he heard a squeaky voice.

"I am Link, the great Dodongo buster! Hyah!"


	74. Rescuing Link

_ LINK?! _

Sheik spun around trying to pinpoint where the voice had come from.

"Hyah! Hyah!"

It came from a platform to Sheik's right, he turned to see a small figure round the corner, waving what looked like a hammer. Even from the distance, Sheik could tell the figure was a Goron, although it was much smaller than the others he had seen.

"Take that Volvagia! Hyaaaaaah!" The small Goron was walking down the wooden beam that connected the platform to the entrance, swinging his hammer, which Sheik could now see was a rock tied to a stick. The force of the swing threw the Goron off balance and it teetered. "Wha—!"

The Goron's little black eyes grew wide as he lost his balance and fell off the beam and out of sight. Sheik ran to the edge and looked down just as the form splashed into the lava a hundred feet below. Soon the Goron bobbed back up splashing wildly. "Help! Help! I can't swim! Daddy, help!"

Sheik looked around. There was no one else in the cavern. The Goron was drifting with the lava flow towards Sheik and would soon hit the wall. Sheik looked down to where the Goron would end up and saw an iron bar nailed into the cliffside. Quickly, he swung over and climbed down the wall. He passed an alcove in the cliffside that he assumed was the reason the posts had been put there. 

The climb below the opening was rough, but Sheik scrambled quickly. He could hear the desperate sputtering of the Goron as he struggled to keep its head above the lava. The Goron had reached the wall, but his arms were too short to reach any handholds. Sheik reached his own arm down, the golden band flashing.

"Grab my hand!" He shouted.

The little hand grabbed his and Sheik pulled.  _ Oh Hylia, you're heavy! _ His muscles strained and bulged as he pulled the Goron out. He smelled singed fabric as lava dripped onto his clothes, not fully protected by the bracelet. The Goron wrapped his arms around Sheik's neck and Sheik sputtered. "C—can't breathe! Hold onto my shoulders!"

The Goron shifted and Sheik gasped. He blinked sweat out of his eyes; he was dizzy from the heat and desperately started to climb up, legs and arms shaking with effort.  _ This. Is. Ridiculous. _ Each step, he kicked himself for saving the Goron, feeling sure that his arms would give and they would both plunge back into the volcano. The little Goron had to weigh at least a hundred pounds!

He glanced up; there was no way he was going to make it all the way. 

However, Sheik was about twenty feet from the alcove.  _ I can make it there at least. _ He gritted his teeth as the Goron shook and sniffled on his back. Finally, he reached the alcove and the Goron released his shoulder, rolling off. Sheik pulled himself over and laid on his back gasping, his muscles shaking. Sweat soaked his clothes and he was sure the Goron's strong grip had bruised his shoulders. 

All he wanted to do was sit and enjoy breathing, but a round face peered down at him. "Are you okay, mister?"

Sheik groaned and forced himself to sit up. He slid back so he could lean against the wall and looked at the small but hefty being he had just risked his life for.

The Goron was only a few feet tall and like all his people, round and tan. He had small black eyes that peered curiously at Sheik on his tearstained face. Walking up to Sheik, he plopped down in front of him. "That was scary, huh, mister?"

All Sheik could manage was a nod. The Goron toddled back over to the edge and peered down and then up. Then he turned back to Sheik and sniffed, wiping his nose before he piped up defiantly, "'Course I wasn't scared. I am Link! Named after the great Hero, and I'm never scared!"

_ Is it just a coincidence? _

"The great Hero?" Sheik asked.

The Goron quickly returned to his spot in front of Sheik and looked excited. This was clearly his favorite subject. "Uhuh! My daddy named me after Link, who saved the village from starvation! The Dodongo King was scaring everyone from Dodongo cavern where our favorite rocks are, but then Link came! Even though he was small like me, he busted the Dodongo and the cavern was safe and everyone could eat there again. My dad said Link became an honorary brother and named me after him so I would grow up brave and strong!"

_ Was it really Link? He would have only been a child . . . then again he  _ is _ the Hero of Time. _

"Why were you playing in such a dangerous place anyway? Shouldn't you be home?" Sheik chastized and Link looked sheepish.

"Well this is where the Hero of the Gorons defeated Volvagia, and I wanted to pretend I was defeating the dragon . . . "

"Link defeated a dragon?"

The Goron shook his head and laughed, "No silly! The Great _ Goron _ Hero defeated Volvagia! He did it with his magic hammer! Daddy says the Great Goron Hero was my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great . . . "

" . . . grandfather?" Sheik interrupted.

"Uhuh! So I took my hammer and came here. Of course, my hammer’s broke now . . . " 

Sheik rolled his eyes. "Well I hope you learned your lesson not to play on cliffsides."

The Goron nodded solemnly and then looked at Sheik expectantly. After a moment he piped up. "Are you going to take me all the way up now?"

Sheik groaned; honestly, he still couldn't move his arms, let alone make the climb again. Besides, if the Goron went home now . . . "Listen Link, I need to rest for a while before I can get up. You weigh an awful lot for a kid."

Link grinned. "That's because I eat all my rocks!"

"I can tell." Sheik said dryly. He laid back and closed his eyes.

After a moment he heard the Goron get up and he peeked an eye open, wanting to make sure he wasn't going to fall off the cliff again. Luckily, Link was preoccupied tracing the walls of the small alcove.

Sheik watched, amused, as the Goron child seemed to make a game of touching each rock that protruded farther than the rest of the wall. After a few times around, Link began to hum. The song was bouncy and catchy and Sheik's eyebrows furrowed as he tried to place where he'd heard it before.

He closed his eyes, trying to remember. In his mind's eye he saw the color green and the shape of leaves.  _ The Lost Woods. _ It was the song that could be heard echoing endlessly through the Lost Woods. How did a Goron know that song? Sheik had been with Saria the last time he’d heard it.

"What song is that?" He asked, curious what Link the Goron would answer.

Link turned. "That's daddy's favorite dancing song! Link taught it to him. Hero Link, not me Link." He giggled at his own joke.

It was a shot in the dark, but Sheik asked, "Do you know any other songs? Any really special songs?"

Link stuck his tongue out, thinking. Then he nodded excitedly. "Yeah, there's that special song daddy taught me. The Boleero of Fire. It's about friendship! Since you saved me and are my friend, I guess I can sing it to you."

_ Could it be? _

Link stood up straight and began to beat on his stomach. After he had a strong beat he began to sing in a surprisingly low voice. Weaving through the beat, the melody rose in alternating tones. Sheik could feel the power in the song. It seemed to fill him with energy and he felt like his heart beat with the song’s rhythm.  _ This has to be the Fire Sage's song! _

As Link finished his song, Sheik asked, "You said your dad taught you that?"

"Yeah, my dad knows lots of stuff."

"What's your dad's name?"

"Darunia, he's the Big Brother of the whole village! Sometimes he's really busy and can't play with me, but sometimes he dances with me—and no one dances like daddy!"

Link giggled and began to shuffle around, kicking his stubby feet in the air, singing the Lost Woods melody again.

The Gorons on the mountain trail had said they should report the approaching army to 'Big Brother,' so that must mean Darunia was in charge of the Gorons. He was apparently descended from an ancient hero and knew the Fire Sage's song . . . it was highly likely Darunia was the Fire Sage. Sheik felt the same strange certainty at hearing Darunia's name that he had felt hearing Nabooru's. He felt a connection to that name that he couldn't explain.  _ Temple, sage, and song all in one day. _ Turned out trying to pull a Goron baby out of a pool of lava wasn't such a stupid idea after all. 

There was only one temple left to find; his quest was going well. 


	75. Light and Shadow

Sheik spent at least an hour in the little alcove with Link the Goron and it was driving him crazy. Link wouldn't stop moving! He was always dancing, jumping, or rolling around. Every time he neared the edge, Sheik's anxiety peaked and he had to remind the Goron  _ for the hundredth time _ to stay away from the cliffside. Finally, fed up with Link's complaining and pleas for games, and feeling like he could maybe make the climb, Sheik stood up.

He rolled his shoulder and stretched. "Alright Link, let's get out of here."

The Goron stopped his latest game of breaking bits of the wall off and crumbling them and toddled over to Sheik, who crouched down and offered his back.

_ Ooof!  _

He grunted as Link's weight pressed onto his bruised shoulders, but stood up. After a quick heft to make sure Link wasn't going to slip, Sheik began the climb up.

By the time he reached the top his muscles were again on fire. Despite Sheik's efforts over the last hours to stretch, they had tightened painfully, making the climb harder than he'd anticipated. Nevertheless, they reached the top without incident.

Link rolled off Sheik's back and in a happy little circle before unrolling and once again looking up with the expectant black eyes.

_ I can't take him back to his village if the attack is still happening.  _ Sheik pulled himself to his feet. "Stay here for a second while I check something, okay?" Sheik began to walk towards the exit, but paused and added, "And stay away from that edge!"

Once outside, Sheik glanced around. There was no one out but there was a strange banging sound echoing in the air. "What is that?" He wondered out loud.

Sheik hadn't expected an answer, but a dark shape swooped down, landing on a stone by the cavern entrance. "Hoohoo. It's the sound of the Goron's battle."

Sheik turned to the large owl, who bobbed, head flipping occasionally. The sage surprised him. Kaepora Gaebora hadn’t reappeared since they’d first met. Though he supposed this was one of the only times Sheik didn’t have a handler watching his every move; and a giant owl would have stood out at Lon Lon Ranch.

The owl’s neck stretched forward. "The Gorons continue to hold their own using the mountain and their special crop. Hoo."

"Special crop?"

"Bomb flowers grow naturally here on Death Mountain."

_ Bombs?! So that's what that sound is!  _ "So you've seen the battle; are the Gorons winning?"

"Hoohoo. It didn't look good since they were so outnumbered, but they've scattered Ganondorf's army using avalanches. The invaders don't seem very cohesive and I think the Gorons killed one of the commanders."

Sheik gave a start. If one of the captains was dead, that would change things at the castle. "The Hylian or the Gerudo?"

"Hylian."

_ Captain Ross . . . without him, his troops were nothing but self-serving thugs. No wonder the attack is falling apart. _

"Hoo. One can't help but wonder how Ganondorf thought this attack would succeed. It's not much different than the last time he attacked."

"What happened last time?"

"Three years ago, Ganondorf had not failed a battle since the coup. Overconfident, he decided to try to subdue the Gorons. His army was smaller then, but they had the element of surprise. Hoo. The Gorons were not ready.” Kaepora Gaebora’s head bobbed solemnly as he continued. “Many were killed on the mountain side before they could get to the Goron village. However, even once the army got there, they didn't stand a chance. The Gorons are strong and live in an already formidable habitat. They are master blacksmiths and experts on bombs. Hoohoo. Their patriarch is wise and powerful as well."

"Darunia.” Sheik nodded and turned back to look over the mountain edge. “Kaepora Gaebora, I believe Darunia is the Sage of Fire. He even met Link before you sealed him away."

"Hoohoo? Yes? Well that is good to hear. If fate brought them together before, then it would make sense for him to be a fellow sage. How did you discover all of this?"

"I met Darunia’s son in there, when I was at the Fire Temple. In fact . . . " Sheik looked at the giant bird. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Hoo?"

"After the battle is done, could you bring Darunia's son back to him? I really need to be getting back to the castle. "

Kaepora Gaebora's feathers ruffled. "The castle?! Is that where you've been? I was concerned when I wasn't able to find you."

With a start, Sheik realized Kaepora Gaebora had no idea of the deal he'd made with Ganondorf. "Yes, the castle. I've . . . I've been working covertly for Ganondorf."

The sage beat his large wings angrily, dust flying everywhere. "Hoo! You've what?!"

Sheik spoke sharply. "I didn't have a choice! It was part of the bargain to save my village. Besides, this way I can keep track of him and stay one step ahead."

The owl's large eyes narrowed suspiciously. "A part? Hoo? What else did you bargain?"

Sheik looked pointedly at the horizon. That day in the graveyard, revealing himself as Rauru, Kaepora Gaebora had warned Sheik not to let Ganondorf know of the prophecy. He had trusted Sheik with it and Sheik had sworn an oath to see it fulfilled.

"What else?!" The owl asked angrily.

"I told him the prophecy."

The owl froze, letting out a weak  _ Hoo. _

"It's fine,” Sheik explained. “By him knowing, he'll lead me right to the temples. It has worked so far. Ganondorf himself told me where the Fire Temple was." Sheik laughed holding up his hand to show the red band. "He even gave me a way in!"

Kaepora Gaebora recovered, head swiveling angrily. "Hoo! But why? What did he ask you to do?"

Sheik didn't think Kaepora Gaebora would approve of him planting the egg. He wouldn't understand why it had to be done; wouldn't understand the way Sheik could work in the shadow.

Sheik put on his mask. "I can't tell you that."

That pushed too far. Kaepora Gaebora spread his thirty-foot wingspan and extended his neck, beak mere inches from Sheik's stony face. "You had no right! You swore to protect the prophecy."

"I swore to see it fulfilled."

"You have risked everything. Hoo! You have no right. You're not even—"

"Why is the birdie shouting at you, mister?" Both Sheik and Kaepora Gaebora turned to see the small Goron sticking its head out of the cavern.

Sheik spoke calmly. "This is Kaepora Gaebora, he's going to take you to your father."

Link looked at Kaepora Gaebora, who slowly folded his wings and flattened his feathers. The little Goron frowned and made his way over to Sheik, reaching up and grabbing the bottom of his tabard with his little fist. "Why can't  _ you _ take me?"

Sheik leaned down and placed his hands on Link's shoulders. "I have to leave the mountain. I need you to be brave and go with Kaepora Gaebora. Your father is probably very worried about you. Bad people have come to the village and your father is fighting them. When it is safe, Kaepora Gaebora will take you home. Thank you for teaching me those songs, Link. I think one day you'll meet your namesake. If you ever do, you help him out okay? Make sure he meets your father."

"Because they're brothers?"

"Yes, and they need to meet again, just like I needed to meet you."

The Goron sniffed, but let Sheik go. He glanced at Kaepora Gaebora who was watching him unblinkingly. Sheik nodded pointedly at Link and with a hoo-like sigh, Kaepora Gaebora turned to the sniffling Goron. Sheik stood up and left, relieved to hear Kaepora Gaebora ask Link about his name and the young Goron's shaky voice steady as he once again enthusiastically launched into his story.

Sheik had no regrets about the path he had taken, but Rauru's disapproval had shaken him. Had he gone too far?

Sheik shook his head and he made his way down the mountain. No, he had made the only choice he could. Rauru was the Sage of Light; he couldn't understand Sheik, who was a member of the race of Shadows. But still, there was the ever-present darkness that threatened to swallow Sheik should he go too far. Was Sheik strong enough to carry through with his plan to the end? At what point was he helping the wrong side more than the right?

One image bubbled persistently to the front of Sheik’s mind.  _ Red hands. Hands dripping with the blood of someone he would kill. _


	76. The Resistance

Kaepora Gaebora had been right about the battle. Sheik watched from the fringes for a moment before making his way off the mountain. The Gorons had quite literally crushed the invading army. 

Carnage littered the mountainside where the Gorons had used their homeland against the intruders. Boulders crushed some while bombs had blown others off the side of cliffs. Captain Naoku was reluctantly rounding up her remaining Gerudo to form a retreat to the cheers of the Goron citizens. The Hylian forces were all dead or fleeing. Sheik had no doubt that any survivors would desert.

Rage was emblazoned on Naoku's face and she must've reached the same conclusion because she cut down any Hylian she met as she rallied her troops. This attack couldn't have succeeded. So why do it?

The answer came to Sheik and he felt like vomiting. It was for him. The entire attack happened to cover his trip to the temple. Ganondorf knew Naoku would be willing to launch any offensive, and Sheik had the sickening realization that the king had always intended to use his Hylian troops as fodder. When Sheik and the army returned, Ganondorf would have less Hylians to worry about, Naoku’s little kingdom within his kingdom would be weakened,  _ and  _ the egg would be happily growing inside the Fire Temple prepared against for the Hero's eventual return.

Disturbed, Sheik fled the mountain, cutting through Kakariko quietly in the dying light. He crossed the field quickly, not wanting the army to catch sight of him when it emerged from the pass. As he entered Castle Town, he realized something was wrong.

Sheik had crossed the courtyard countless times now, become used to the ReDeads and their silent watch. They always sat crouching in their place unless a victim came near. The time he had left with Captain Ruba, the ReDeads had cleared the way, no doubt controlled by Ganondorf and signaled to let them through. Now, as he crossed the courtyard, making his way over the fountain as usual, he noticed some of the ReDeads had moved. The ones on the left side had shifted closer to the alleys. It was enough that it cleared a path along the center of the courtyard. 

It was like seeing a hole cut into a fence. There was an intruder—most likely many. It would have taken a coordinated effort to lure the ReDeads from their posts.

Sheik ran faster. When he reached the castle he made no indication that he was on alert, but every sense was sharpened. The guards were Gerudo, but Sheik had the schedule memorized; the women had only been there for fifteen minutes. The three shifts before were Hylian and one of them was that guard whose room Sheik had investigated.  _ Oh no. _

Sheik took to his hidden routes around the castle. He made his way quietly to the Hylian barracks. He spotted three men, one being the man he'd investigated, whispering conspiratorially in the hall. Sheik couldn't get close enough to hear without getting spotted. Two of the men seemed to be trying to convince the third of something. After a while the third man conceded and followed the first one way, while the second went the other. Sheik had to choose which to follow.

He chose the man who had gone alone. Unaware of his tail, the man headed towards the Gerudo wing. Before he got there he turned and went down the hall to the servant galley.

Sheik waited for his chance and slipped inside and up onto the ceiling beams. The wooden ones didn't continue for long, but Sheik hoped he would be in a good enough position when his quarry reached his destination.

He was in luck, the man slipped into a small hall that Sheik could just see from a high corner. There were three other people there—all Hylian women. The man glanced back to see if he'd been followed and then whispered, "Did it work?"

The biggest of the women answered. "I think so. I saw a few nodding off as we left."

"Good. Everything's going as planned. Tom went to get Captain Fari; he finally convinced Ferrod that we needed the captain and he gave the okay to tell her about the attack. It should begin within an half hour."

The smallest figure piped up. "So soon? Aren't you going to get us out first? You promised you'd get us out."

The voice was slightly hysterical, but Sheik recognized it.  _ Leigha. _

The man spoke up, glancing over his shoulder once again. "I can get you to the town. Our people there will keep you safe until the attack is over."

The older woman placed a hand on the shaking girl's shoulder. "We'll get out. You did your part. Ha! Those Gerudo couldn't tell your nervous shaking today from your usual. They never knew you were pouring them anything other than their usual drinks."

The man waved his hand for them to follow him. "Alright, let's go. The Gerudo have the door, but when the attack starts I'll get you out in the chaos." His voice took a tone of pride. "We have a thousand members fighting today, plus any of the army who decide to join. With the Gerudo weakened and half gone, we have a chance."

Sheik slipped out before the group left the hall. His mind was whirling.  _ What do I do? _ The Hylians were attacking the castle! They had drugged Ruba's Gerudo and Naoku’s were at the mountain. Did he go to Ruba, Knuckle, or Ganondorf himself? Should he even warn anyone?

There was one fact that Sheik couldn't shake. If the Hylians attacked, they would lose. Even without his army, Ganondorf could stop any invasion on his own. They had no idea of the Dark King's true power. This is why Ganondorf hardly went out himself—why he had his captains fight battles he could win with a wave of his hand. Sheik had to stop this before it started, but how? He didn't know where the attackers were.

_ The town! _ Sheik had been so distracted by the ReDeads he had assumed the guilty party had come to the castle already. The deserted town had plenty of room to hide a waiting army. This attack had been carefully planned for years. If there was a whole resistance and they had managed to find a way around the ReDeads, they could be living secretly outside the castle. 

Ganondorf's army rarely left the expansive castle grounds and there were no patrols of the town itself; it was just assumed the ReDeads did their job of making the vacant buildings uninhabitable.

Sheik couldn't stop the attack. There wasn't time! He didn't know who was in charge or where the leaders were. Was Ferrod the leader? Tom? If they were walking openly in the castle, Sheik doubted they were the one's driving the attack. 

Captain Fari didn't know about the attack until today. Would she stop it if he warned her? And even if she did agree to stop the attack, would her followers listen? Maybe, but he wouldn't be able to hide that he went to her before warning his king.

He  _ had  _ to go to the king. It was his job to report threats. Maybe, if Sheik could stop the rebellion soon enough . . . 

Sheik ran down the outer corridor. He passed Captain Knuckle's door and approached the throne room. There were two Gerudo at the door, who snapped to attention at his approach.

"I need to speak to the king!" He said urgently.

The two looked at each other with uncertainty. They didn't have to reach a decision however, because a cackling voice came from the door.

"Hoho! The young pup is back!" Koume and Kotake emerged from the door, passing through it like it wasn't there. "Hehe! Back to lick his master's shoes!"

"I must speak to the king." Sheik repeated.

The twin witches glanced at each other, then said in unison, "Open the doors."

The Gerudo guards rushed forward to obey and Sheik strode in. The guards let the door slam right behind him. The room seemed larger and darker since Sheik had last been there. Ganondorf stood by the window staring out at the gray smoke framing the red of Death Mountain. 

When the door slammed he turned around and Sheik knelt down in front of him. His mind whirled and he desperately tried to keep his doubts in check. He forced himself to move swiftly, but calmly. He had to stay in character.

"My lord, there's going to be an attack on your castle."


	77. Darkness

"Did you complete your mission?" 

Ganondorf seemed unperturbed by Sheik's statement. Sheik, although caught off-guard, didn't hesitate. "Yes, my lord. I placed it just as you instructed."

The Dark King's lips curled into a smile and then he stared down at Sheik and frowned. "An attack you say?"

"Yes. One thousand fighters, plus whichever of your Hylian troops decide to join them. They are hiding in Castle Town and will attack within the hour. They have drugged Captain Ruba's troops."

Ganondorf's eyes flashed red and Sheik felt the pressure of his power. "They are Fari's followers then? I should have slaughtered her and them years ago."

"Milord, Captain Fari is not the leader of this attack. The resistance might be her followers, but she is only now being informed of their intentions. She’s nothing but a symbol now; a symbol I believe they risked exposure to have. The threat is outside the castle. It is my suspicion that the resistance does not have a single leader this time. This must have been an attack long in the making for them to have moved so many people. They have even found a way through the ReDeads."

"They are fools!" The air crackled with power as the king grinned once more. "They do not understand my power!"

_ No, they do not. _ Sheik thought sadly.

"Perhaps," the king continued, "it's time I showed them."

The twin witches began to cackle wildly and Sheik felt the change. The energy he'd felt before had been a trickle, but now that gate was open and a river flowed out. The very light seemed to bend madly as waves of power radiated off the Dark King. Sheik struggled to keep the feelings of despair from crushing him. He was sure that without the harp still on his back, he would have crumpled right there.

Ganondorf strode from the room. Sheik followed at a distance; the Gerudo guards were white-faced, cowering as their ling passed.

The king crossed his castle with Sheik skulking behind. Faces appeared at the edges of the courtyard as Ganondorf passed through. Captain Ruba emerged as Ganondorf approached the castle doors. She watched her king with devotion and awe, bowing down as he passed.

Sheik saw movement and was sure resistance members were scrambling to warn their brothers.  _ It's too late. Too late . . .  _

The castle doors opened for their king, revealing the army on the once green castle grounds. Sheik had to admit it was amazing they had made it this far. With the Gerudo drugged and reduced in number and the king's focus on Death Mountain, the resistance had organized itself on Ganondorf's very doorstep.

A thousand Hylians, men and women, dressed in a mix of homemade and pilfered armor. They stood in file, crowded around a hastily built stand where there stood six men and women, wearing the Hyrulean crest and Captain Fari in the middle.  _ She must have decided this last effort was worth it. Why Fari? You should have known. You give them an impossible hope. _

"Captain! What is this you have brought me?" Ganondorf's mocking tones boomed across the grounds.

Fari and the six rebel leaders stepped down and the army parted for them as they walked towards Ganondorf. Once they were facing him directly, one of the rebels, an older man, spoke. "We have come to take back our kingdom. We have come to dethrone a tyrant!"

There was a weak spattering of cheers from the army. The effects of Ganondorf's aura were still sweeping over the masses. Sheik watched Fari's face. He could tell she was wavering between hopeful pride and the defeated Fari who was no doubt reliving the bloody battle against Ganondorf she'd lost in the past. 

Hope won and Fari stepped forward, thrusting her lance in Ganondorf's direction. "You left yourself open, Ganondorf! Your army is scattered and weakened! We will defeat you!"

This time there was a hearty cheer from the Hylians. Sheik even heard a few from the castle behind him. Fari may not have known about the attack, but Sheik had been right, she was a powerful symbol to the resistance and having her helped them fight Ganondorf's oppressive aura.

The king laughed. His deep voice resounded menacingly and seemed to grow and come from everywhere. Sheik saw a range of emotions flicker across Fari's face and then she charged at Ganondorf, giving a war cry. With sudden realization, Sheik understood what Fari was doing. If Ganondorf cut her down, she would become a martyr. Her death would spur the resistance and give them more help than one more fighter would. Should he stop her? Could he?

It didn't matter. Ganondorf's laugh stopped abruptly and the ground began to quake. Mere feet from the king, Fari fell down on the quaking earth. Sheik struggled to stay standing as cracks appeared and shaking continued.

"You insects have no idea who you challenged!"

There were loud cracking sounds and the bang of rocks falling. The army seemed to ripple as men and women lost their balance. There was a strange red glow and Sheik looked around. The earth was splitting open! A crevasse had already appeared between the castle and the grounds. He looked for its end but it seemed to wrap around the entire castle walls.

"I am the Great King Ganondorf! I AM A GOD AND YOU ARE NOTHING!"

Sheik stared at Ganondorf, who thrust his hands in the air as if lifting a great weight. With horror, Sheik felt the castle begin to rise under his feet. It rose high above the army, taking Ganondorf, Sheik, and Fari with it. With another thrust of Ganondorf's hand the ground around the crevice crumbled. The rebels screamed and a quarter of the army fell into the pit. Sheik could smell the lava rising from the crevice, which was more a pool beneath the castle now. There was also a strange golden glow on Ganondorf's right hand. Sheik peered at it and made out a small triangle.  _ Is that the Triforce? _

Pain spiked through Sheik's body and he felt his mind go blank. He shook his head trying to regain focus. The castle's rise had stopped, as had the hole's growth. The noises began to subside and Ganondorf lowered his arms.

There was a deadly quiet. Ganondorf had indeed shown his power. He had literally taken the castle past their reach; risen above his enemies’ influence. Sheik looked out over the rebels. Many lay in shock on the ground, but Sheik saw a few still staring up at the castle, gripping their weapons. They looked too stunned to move, but Sheik knew that would wear off. This couldn't happen again. If it did, there wouldn't be anyone left. There would be no Hyrule for the Hero to save.

Sheik knew what he had to do. Fari was on her hands and knees where she had fallen in front of Ganondorf. She was staring down over the edge as the rippling red pool below. Ganondorf turned to return to his castle, but Sheik moved forward. He drew a kunai and stood behind Fari. He grabbed her head and with one last glance at the crowd of faces staring up, he reached over and slit her throat. There was a small gurgle and blood poured over Sheik's hand. He dropped her and she thumped to the ground, then without a second glance he turned and followed his king back inside the dark castle. It was over.

The doors shut behind Sheik and once again every eye was fixated on the king as he returned to his throne. Sheik slipped away unnoticed; he could feel the blood on his hands like acid. There was no more symbol, no more hope for the people of Hyrule. They would have to wait. Just like Sheik, they would ha ve to wait and live in darkness.


	78. Red skies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PART FOUR

Sheik sighed as he stared at the red glow to the northeast. The glowing ring around Death Mountain was the only source of light on the cloudy and moonless night. While the darkness made Sheik's job easier, the red ring was a depressing reminder of Ganondorf's success over the Gorons. Their natural defenses had held up against Ganondorf's attack three years ago, but they were useless against Ganondorf's, now massive, undead army.

Sheik had not been part of the attack this time and there was nothing he could have done to stop it. He had just stood quietly at the Dark King's side as Ganondorf issued the order to march. Sheik prayed to Hylia that the Fire Sage would survive. He had hoped to make his way up the mountain and scout out the situation, but Ganondorf was watching too closely. Besides, Sheik had been assigned a mission to do the next day.

And so here he was, at the edge of the pass to the desert.

He sighed again. Spies had spotted a group of Hylians making their way across Hyrule Field towards the desert. Normally, a squad of stalfos would've been sent to intercept and eliminate the unauthorized group, but since they had come from Kakariko, the responsibility fell to Sheik.

From the description, Sheik knew it had to be Mutoh and his carpenters. What they were doing leaving the village was anyone's guess. Sheik just hoped to find them before someone else did and send them home, scared enough to stay put. He made his way down the rocky path. The carpenters had made it farther than Sheik had anticipated; no doubt Sheik had been given the report late on purpose. The one thing Ganondorf didn't like about Sheik was his attachment to the villagers. He probably hoped Sheik would find them doing something traitorous and then the king could raze Kakariko and not continue to hear Sheik's reminders that he promised to leave the village alone.

Silently, Sheik slipped through the night, making his way through the rocky canyon until he came to the gorge. There were lights on the other side and Sheik could just make out the broad figures of the carpenters and the lither figures of a group of Gerudo.  _ Oh no. _ The Gerudo voices carried easily over to Sheik.

"What are you men doing here?! This is Gerudo land!"

This is exactly what Sheik had not wanted to happen. The gorge was always guarded by Gerudo now that they had cut ties from Ganondorf. It’d been a rough year when the king's relationship with his own people fell apart.

The day after Ganondorf thwarted the doomed rebellion, Sheik reported Captain Ross' death to Captain Knuckles. Shortly after, there was a commotion near the castle gates and when Sheik investigated, he saw that once again Ganondorf had left his tower and stood at the entrance. Down below, across the eerie red pool the castle now hovered above, was the remainder of Naoku's ragged army. The Gerudo captain stood in front, staring up at Ganondorf. "What is this? What has happened?"

"Ah captain, you have returned despite your failure." Ganondorf said, looking down the battered Gerudo. Naoku's face twisted with anger and Ganondorf continued, spreading his arms out showing off his work. "This is my statement to Hyrule: that my power cannot be matched."

Naoku once again glanced over the strange transformation the castle had undergone and then something snapped. The woman shook with rage and shouted, "Your statement to Hyrule?! What about your people? Hundreds of your Gerudo sisters died on the mountainside. Yet you used none of this great power to save them!"

"They served their purpose,” Ganondorf laughed. “You should be grateful to have been useful to my designs."

"What designs? How does a failed invasion benefit the Gerudo nation?"

Ganondorf stood still for a moment and then his lips curled into a cruel smile. Sheik could feel the power rebuilding around him. "There is no Gerudo nation. There is only me and those that fear me. This is  _ my  _ world and destiny has sent me here to claim it."

Naoku drew her bow and fired an arrow. "Traitor!" She screamed and the arrow whistled towards Ganondorf. 

Captain Ruba moved to jump in front of her king but a wave of force pulsed from Ganondorf, knocking her and the arrow aside. The Dark King's eyes glowed red and he stared down at Naoku who froze, mouth gaping. A dark glow emanated around her and she rose into the air. Ganondorf likted a glowing hand.

"Captain, for your failure against the Gorons and your traitorous actions I hereby sentence you to death." Ganondorf's words were calm, almost bored. There was silence as both the castle and Naoku's army watched the captain continue to rise and fly over the red abyss. A sickening crack broke the silence and Naoku jerked before the aura faded and her body fell into the chasm beneath the castle.

"The rest of you rats scurry back to the desert. I have no need of failures in my castle." Ganondorf spun around, black cloak whirling, and returned to his tower without looking back at the broken army below him. 

Captain Ruba followed him, once again looking with awe at her Dark King’s powers. This time, however, there was also a look of purpose. Sheik knew her loyalty to Ganondorf was zealous and now her devotion had reached a feverish level. He couldn't help but wonder what exactly Gerudo legends said about Ganondorf that would inspire such devotion.

Sheik had stayed on the wall and watched until the last Gerudo trickled away. No doubt doing as Ganondorf said and returning to the desert. They would revert to their careless thieving ways, absorbed back into the likes of Aveil and Mika. He knew that some would wonder why Ganondorf had let them go, but Sheik knew.

The answer was right in front of him.

"W—we wanted to join you! Hyrule is a mess and we thought we could make a living in the desert!" The carpenter stuttered as blades and spears glistened in the torchlight.

The Gerudo laughed. "You're stupider than you look! Come on, ladies, let's show these men some Gerudo hospitality. Hahaha!" The Gerudo tied the three men up and marched them into the desert.

With the Gerudo reinforced by the remnants of Naoku's army, no Hylian could make it into the desert. And if no one could get to the desert, no one could get to the Spirit Temple and the sage inside.


	79. Link’s Awakening

Cursing his luck, Sheik watched helplessly as the Gerudo slowly disappeared. Two stuck around for a moment. "I think Aveil's right,” one of them said. “This pass is too dangerous."

"Yeah, I don't care what the Horsemaster thinks. If these bozos can get here, who knows what creep Ganondorf might send."

The two walked towards the gorge bridge and with a last glance at each other, drew swords and cut the ropes. With an almost sad swishing sound, the bridge fell across the gorge before smacking against the other side with a crack.

Satisfied with their work, the two followed the group back into the desert. Sheik was about to leave when he heard a shuffling sound on the other side of the gorge. 

"Oh man, oh man, oh man. This is bad! How am I going to get out of here?" There was another shuffle and soon a match was lit on the other side of the gorge, illuminating a pale bald form of Mutoh. Mutoh stepped out from the rock boulder he'd been hiding behind and used his match to light a torch.

After a moment of panicked uncertainty, he lowered his pack and began to pitch his tent. The man was useless without his men to boss about, and now he was stuck. Sheik was just thinking of how he could get over the gorge and help when another more familiar sound made him turn.

The sound of large wings grew closer and Sheik moved away from the gorge and watched the large blue eyes descend until Kaepora Gaebora folded his wings and stared down at Sheik.

"To what do I owe the honor of your visit Kaepora Gaebora?" Sheik asked dryly. Through the years, the Light Sage and Sheik's relationship had grown more tense. They had not spoken since Sheik had learned the Requiem of the Spirit. 

After Naoku's death, Sheik had stalked around the castle, getting a feel for the castle's reaction to the last few turbulent days. He was passing the Gerudo wing when he'd heard a strange song. It solemnly rose and fell and Sheik traced it to its origin: Ruba's office.

Feeling strange as the notes continued, Sheik opened the door. Incense was burning, giving the air a spice that made Sheik's eyes water. Captain Ruba sat cross legged in front of the statue of the Sand Goddess. Her fingers moved across the holes of a flute as the notes of the song filled the air.

"What song is that?" Sheik could hardly believe he'd asked, but there was a strange feeling in the room. When Ruba turned, she had an odd look on her face. She spoke airily as she answered.

"It is the Requiem of the Spirit. I am playing it to send my sisters’ spirits to rest."

She turned away and continued playing. Sheik knew he should leave but he felt glued to the floor. After a while, Ruba put the flute down and stood up. Sheik shrank into the hazy shadows but the captain didn't look towards him. She picked up a folded tapestry and faced the statue once more. She gave it a bow and then flung the tapestry over it.

As the woven images on the tapestry rippled down and fell into place, Sheik could see a depiction of the dark figure of Ganondorf, his eyes an intense red. Along the bottom there were various creatures bowing, including Gerudo and a figure that resembled the Sand Goddess. Depicted above Ganondorf's hand was the Triforce although it was stitched in dark red rather than the traditional gold. At his belt was a large sword, its blade shaped like spiked diamonds and giving off a black fire. It was not Ganondorf as Sheik knew him. It was Ganondorf as the god he would become if he possessed the Triforce.

Sheik shrank away and left Ruba staring at the image in the darkness. It had been months before he left the castle again and was able to inform Kaepora Gaebora of his discovery. The owl had taken the news curtly and Sheik’d had no reason over the next three years to see him again. 

Sheik shook away the memory as the night sky cleared and starlight illuminated Kaepora Gaebora. His feathers were ruffled and he shifted, even more agitated than normal. "Sheik, you have to go now! It is time. Link has returned."

It was like the world froze. Sheik's mind went blank and he stood there dumbly.

"Move, you stupid boy! You must be there when he awakes. Play the Prelude of Light quickly and get to the Temple of Time."

As if in a trance, Sheik pulled the Goddess Harp from his back and raised his fingers to it. To Sheik, the moments seemed to stretch in slow motion.

All these years—seven now—waiting, and the time had finally come. Sheik had been preparing for this piece by piece. Finally, it would all be worth it. All the lives lost, and all the pain endured.

As the song finished, Sheik melted into light and flew towards the Temple of Time. He rematerialized on the control podium. He stared forward at the image of the Triforce on the wall, above the velvet stand where the sacred gems gleamed. The image seemed to grow bigger and Sheik felt his knees buckle.

He fell onto grass. Glancing around he realized he was in the field where the Ballad of the Goddess usually took him. He had been here occasionally over the years to escape the darkness. Every time he'd hoped the girl would return, but she never did.

"It's time, Sheik." He looked up and there she was. Golden hair drifting softly in the light breeze, blue eyes full of joy. He stood up.

"Yes, it is." He felt a smile grow on his face, the first one in a long time. "It's finally time for me to help Link."

The girl's smile faltered for a moment before she took Sheik's hand. "There's one more thing Link needs before he can go awaken the Sage of the Forest: an ancient tool that will help him in his quest. Without it, he cannot enter the Forest Temple."

"Where is it?"

The girl smiled. "Somehow it ended up passed along a family line in Kakariko, no doubt entrusted to them by the Sheikah. However, the last member of that line died while the Hero slept and its location is known only to them."

"Many people have died in Kakariko while the Hero slept." Sheik couldn't keep the bitterness and regret from his voice.

"This death was through no fault of yours. It was simply his time and he left no heirs."

Sheik thought about the villagers. He checked in on them occasionally, although almost never let them see him. Who had died during these seven years . . . 

"Dampé?!"

The girl laughed at his surprise. "Yes, fate works in strange ways, does it not?" Her face grew serious. "Listen Sheik, you must make sure Link gets this weapon before guiding him to the Forest Temple. Until the Hero cleanses the temples, the sages cannot hear the awakening call. Go, tell him the prophecy so he can continue his journey and bring about Ganondorf's downfall."

The girl faded, as did the meadow. Sheik blinked and he was back in the temple, but he was in a different room. In front of him was a figure facing the doorway back to the temple foyer.

He wore a green tunic and had the Master Sword of legend on his back along with a shield bearing the Hylian crest. A blue ball of light flitted around him. It bobbed by his ear and he drew his sword whirling around to face Sheik who hid his emotion and said, "I've been waiting for you, Hero of Time."


	80. The Hero of Time

Sheik looked at the Hero of Time, whose dark blue eyes sized up Sheik, trying to decide if he was a threat. Sheik had played a mysterious figure for so long, the distrust and caution didn't bother him at all. He was here for a purpose and he was ready to serve it. He stepped towards Link and recited:

"When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be Sages who dwell in the five temples.

"One in deep forest, one in high mountain, one under a vast lake, one within the house of the dead, and one in the goddess of sand. Together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world."

Link lowered his sword and Sheik saw that something in the prophecy was familiar to him. The look of purpose in his eyes reminded Sheik of the day he had made his oath to see the prophecy fulfilled. "This is the legend of the five temples passed down from my people, the Sheikah,” he continued. “I am Sheik, survivor of the Sheikah. As I see you standing there holding the mythical Master Sword, you really do look like the legendary Hero of Time. If you believe the legend, you have no choice. You must look for the five temples and awaken the five sages.

"One sage is waiting for the time of awakening in the forest temple. The sage is a girl I am sure you know. Because of the evil power in the temple, she cannot hear the awakening call from the Sacred Realm. Unfortunately, equipped as you currently are, you cannot even enter the temple. But if you believe what I'm saying you should head to Kakariko Village. Do you understand, Link?"

Link looked Sheik up and down, eyes pausing over the Sheikah crest on his tabard. Then Link nodded. As if he heard something, he turned to the blue fairy and nodded again. Without a word, he left the temple, no doubt on his way to Kakariko.

Sheik stood in the empty room. He felt a bit dizzy. As he had spoken to Link he’d felt a memory stir. A memory of a small boy dressed in green in a flower filled courtyard. It had to be young Link. He had the same determined look on his face that Link wore when he had left the temple.

_ A vision? _ Sheik shook his head and sat down on the marble steps. The temple was spinning.  _ What's wrong with me? _ Things were moving so fast, but he needed to move faster. He needed to make sure the village was safe for Link.

After some deep breaths, Sheik pulled out the harp and played the Nocturne of Shadow and let himself fly out the Temple of Time and to the Kakariko graveyard.

It was raining when he arrived. There was a flash of lightning and another image appeared. Young Link standing in the rain in Hyrule field, holding a small sword looking up at Sheik. Feelings of urgency and despair laced the vision and Sheik felt he had to tell Link something. Something important. The lightning flashed again and the vision was gone.

Sheik stumbled to the fence, breathing heavily. His head ached, but there was no time to slow down. He jumped into the graveyard and ran, navigating the village in secret like he had done for years. He made it to the mountain pass and quickly found Captain Knuckle's returning army. Silently, Sheik appeared at the captain's side.

"Death Mountain has finally fallen at its king's feet then?" At Sheik's question, the stalfos turned.

"Yes,” Captain Knuckle replied. “The last of the Gorons will be offered to Volvagia. Although there is still no sign of their patriarch."  _ Thank Hylia. _

"Without his people, he can do nothing. Against the dragon, he can do nothing." Sheik spoke with loyal certainty and the armored stalfos nodded at his words, but inside Sheik worried. He remembered the skull he had seen the day he'd placed the dragon's egg. It would be quite the foe for Link to purge from the temple. Sheik hoped Darunia would be there to help him.

For now, he needed to stall the army while Link arrived at the village. "Although captain, if you would delay your return for a while longer, I could scout the mountain and see if I can find your missing patriarch. It would be a cleaner end if he were to join his people's fate."

The captain pondered this for a moment before agreeing and giving Sheik four hours to complete his search. Sheik had spent years building up his place in Ganondorf's army and had earned the same elevated position as the captain. Knuckle had the same faith in his abilities that his king did. Until now, Sheik had never failed a mission. 

As Sheik combed the mountain, giving stock to his excuse, his natural instinct was to worry what would happen when he came back empty handed. After spending years carefully avoiding situations that might jeopardize his position, it felt wrong to set himself up for failure.

_ What am I thinking? Those years were all so I could do this very thing! Slow Ganondorf's powers from the inside to give Link a chance. _

Sheik thought of the Hero. So odd to think that for him, these years had been but a moment. Seven years folded into an instant transformation. He had no idea who Sheik even was, let alone what he had done. The days spent in darkness, the battles fought, the secrets hoarded, and the loneliness of it all. Bitterness welled up. Link didn't know how Sheik had held together the broken Hyrule with the thinnest threads. Those threads had frayed and were now bursting.

Sheik looked up again at the red ring above the mountain and the bitterness left. No matter what Sheik did, this was the inevitable. Only Link and the sages could stop Ganondorf's powers now.

It had been three hours, so Sheik once again played the Nocturne and returned to the village. He watched from above the graveyard as Link emerged from a grave holding a strange tool in his hand. It had a point like a spear on one end and a handle on the other. Although the rain made it hard to hear, Sheik could make out Link's words as he spoke to the fairy beside him.

"It was weird to see the gravekeeper's ghost! He was a living and scary old man just a while ago."

There was a pause where apparently the fairy commented, unheard by Sheik. Link strapped the strange tool to his belt. "I suppose it has been a long time. It's just so strange to see everything so different. ReDeads in Castle Town . . . " Link's voice faded sorrowfully for a moment before saying, "Let's hurry and get back to the forest."

With that, Link ran out of the graveyard. Sheik realized he still had to report back to Captain Knuckle and then hurry to the Forest Temple. Even with the songs, it was hard to keep up with Link. In a way, it was like all the times Sheik had found out that Link had met people or been places.

_ The first temple, the first test, awaits! _


	81. Forest Temple

Captain Knuckle had indeed been surprised when Sheik returned empty handed. Sheik apologized for his failure, blaming his pride and ‘once again underestimating the Gorons.’ The stalfos army made their way back to the castle and Sheik stayed behind. 

As soon as he could, he played the Minuet of the Forest, and let himself travel across Hyrule, deep into the Lost Woods. As he appeared there, another strong memory surfaced; this one, however, familiar. The pain of losing Impa, the gentleness of Saria, and the first time he'd ever heard Link's name. After he'd come to this forest, everything had changed. And yet the trees and leaves all looked exactly the same.

Sheik felt uncomfortable in the open, so he climbed up into the tree by the temple entrance to wait for Link. As he waited, turning a deku nut from the tree over in his fingers, his thoughts again turned to the past. He hadn't thought about his life before his deal with Ganondorf for a long time. The forest brought back memories of training with Impa. His childlike excitement to learn the art of his people and Impa's quiet, and sometimes painful, direction. Although he had felt lost at the time, and Ganondorf ruled the land, he had been happy. It was easy to forget the outside world in these woods. The forest was like his memories: as unchanging as the Kokiri who dwelt inside.

_ Saria.  _ Sheik wondered what it would be like for her to awaken as a sage. She had told Sheik she'd felt she had some purpose. Would she be happy to see Link or saddened that he had changed? Who was worse off, the one who changed or the one who didn't? After all, it had to be unbelievably shocking for Link to suddenly be seven years in the future. Had he known it would happen? Something told Sheik that he hadn't. That the whole world had suddenly changed around him.

There was a rustle and Sheik saw Link walk into the grove. He had the saddest look on his face. He walked over to a short stump and ran his fingers over it. Sheik leapt down from the tree behind him, trying to find the right words to say. He walked towards Link, who turned to face him. Sheik could see tears held back in his eyes.

"The flow of time is always cruel . . . Its speed seems different for each person, but no one can change it,” Sheik said, not sure what else to say, how to give comfort. “A thing that doesn't change with time is a memory of younger days." Instinctively he reached for his harp. He pulled it out and knew what to do. He had a purpose here after all. "In order to come back here again, play the Minuet of Forest."

Sheik closed his eyes and played the notes. They rang clearly through the trees and he opened his eyes, seeing a small smile on Link's face. The Hero pulled an object from his belt. It was an ocarina, its blue glazed surface sparkling in the faerie light of the forest. He held it to his lips and played the tune Sheik had. Soon they were playing together, the notes soothing both their hearts.

Sheik put the harp away. He faced Link, his small smile hidden by his collar. "Link . . . I'll see you again."

He backed away and pulled one of the nuts he had plucked from the tree from his pocket. He threw it on the ground, making a flash that he used to disappear from the grove. He watched from the leafy shelter of a tree a bit away as Link looked around confused. Sheik whispered quietly to himself, "Alright Link, it's your turn. Be the Hero Hyrule has been waiting for."


	82. Phantoms

Sheik waited outside the temple anxiously. There was nothing he could do now; it was all up to Link. This was the test to see if he could really sever the dark hold Ganondorf had on the temples. Hours passed.

Sheik sat on the stump and held the harp, tracing its engravings as he listened to the circling tune of the Lost Woods. The neverending song didn't help his agitation. Finally, in an attempt to find some peace, Sheik played the Ballad of the Goddess.

He found himself in the meadow. He expected to be alone, but the girl was there again. She seemed . . . stronger. No, more in focus? She had less of the dreamlike quality she used to have. There was a light in her eyes as she ran towards Sheik. "Come look! He’s doing it!"

She pulled him over to a small pool where knelt down, staring excitedly into the water. Sheik knelt beside her. In a moment, an image appeared; it was Link in a dark room. Strange identical portraits were on every wall. Link watched them carefully and drew back a magnificent bow. He released an arrow at one of the portraits and Sheik noticed a rider had appeared there. The arrow somehow struck the rider and it turned back. The horse looked familiar.

The same event occurred and then a shape emerged from the portrait and hovered menacingly above Link. It was Ganondorf! The horseman had been him. But how could Link fight the Dark King now? Sheik peered closer, something wasn't right. Although the phantom that swung its large spear at Link resembled the king, Sheik realized it was not the real thing. It didn't have the presence or bearing that the king had. Both he and the girl watched, white knuckled, as Link deflected the phantom's energy attacks like some kind of twisted game. Both gasped when the energy hit Link, sending him spasming to the floor.

Link got up over and over, never giving up. Then he started to win. He found the perfect timing to send the monster's attacks back at him until finally the being rose into the air limply, blue fire rising from its body. It twitched and dissolved slowly. There was a booming voice, one all too familiar to Sheik.

"You did quite well. It looks like you may be gaining some slight skill." Ganondorf’s voice was light and mocking before growing deadly serious. "But you have only defeated my phantom. When you fight the real me, it won't be so easy."

The creature twitched more violently and then screamed, holding his head. The cruel voice of Ganondorf returned. "What a worthless creation that ghost was. I will banish it in the gaps between dimensions."

A dark portal appeared below the phantom who screeched as it dissolved into blue flame and the abyss sucked it in before closing up and vanishing.

Then the image faded from the pool. The girl laughed, "He did it! He really did it!"

She turned to Sheik and he responded in awe, "For a moment, just a moment, I heard real fear in his voice. I have heard Ganondorf speak countless times, but never have I heard fear until now."

The two grinned at each other. As Sheik stared into those happy blue eyes, something strange happened. He suddenly felt removed. Like he was being sucked into those eyes just as the phantom had been sucked into the abyss. Startled, he stood up. "What—"

The girl interrupted him, standing as well. Her eyes wide with enthusiasm. "Now you have to meet him at the Temple of Time. We have to teach him the Prelude."

Sheik’s eyebrows furrowed. "Why would he need to know the Prelude? Rauru is already awakened and the Temple of Time is safe."

"Well, so he can get there quickly like all the other temples. After all, the Temple of Time is important for the Hero of Time; it's the place where he can go back."

"Back?"

"Yes, back in time."

Sheik froze. "Back . . . in . . . time . . . " He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You want him to go back in time after all this waiting?!"

The girl's smile faded and she looked at Sheik, concerned. "He needs to, it's part of his power. With the Master Sword, the Ocarina, and the Temple of Time, the Hero can travel back and forth along time itself. By locking Link away with the sword, those two eras of his life were connected, and with the sword he can travel freely between the two. Don't worry, he won't disappear again."

Mind reeling, Sheik tried to organize his thoughts. If Link could travel back and forth through time . . . what were his preparations all for? Why didn't Link just travel back and prevent any of this from ever happening?

"Then . . . then what was everything  _ I _ did for?"

"It was for this to happen,” the girl explained in a kind voice. “Link can travel back to when he was a child but inevitably the time comes where he runs into the temple and it is sealed. No matter what he does, the point is always there. Impassable. He was only a child, there was only so much he could do."

_ I was only a child.  _ Sheik though as the girl continued. "Besides, everything he could do has already happened. He may have even set the first stones for what you built."

Sheik thought about Saria, Malon, and Link the Goron. It finally made sense how Link's name seemed to be everywhere. The girl gave him a gentle push. "You have to go now. Teach Link the Prelude and tell him that all he has to do to return to his time is replace the Master Sword. He won't know how until you tell him, Time has already written that you would."

That statement made Sheik's head reel even more and he tried not to fall into the rabbit hole of time travel. He caught the girl looking at him with a strange expression and he refocused. Was it guilt? The look disappeared and she added, "Oh, and there's one more thing you need to tell him. Tell him that he'll have to come back to the temple quickly at some point. That's the reason he needs to know the song."

"When? What for?"

The girl shook her head. "You have to go now. Play the song later and we can talk more. Tell Link . . . "

Everything faded and Sheik was once again in the Lost Woods. Frustrated, Sheik played the Prelude, getting himself to the Temple of Time. He walked over to the sword pedestal and waited. He had taken the long hard road and Link had taken a shortcut. Even with the ability to go back in time, Link had needed so much help. Sure, he had defeated the Phantom, but could Sheik not have done that? Was it just the Master Sword that made Link the Hero?

Sheik was glad his collar hid his expression when Link walked in. Despite his grievances, Sheik knew he had a duty to perform. He didn't want to risk messing with whatever past there had been just because of a moment of anger. Dutifully, he spoke, maintaining the mask of the mysterious guide; acting was second nature by now.

"You destroyed the wicked creature that was haunting the temple and awakened the sage. But there are still other sages who need your help. In order to awaken all the other sages, you must become even more powerful. You must travel over mountains, under water, and even through time. Return the Master Sword to return to your time. The time will come when you will have to return here quickly. I will teach this to you for when that time comes. To return to the Temple of Time, use the Prelude of Light."

Like before, he played the song on the Goddess Harp and Link repeated it on the Ocarina of Time. As they played together a golden light filled the room. Sheik could feel a power emanating from Link. 

"As long as you hold the Ocarina of Time and the Master Sword, you hold time itself in your hands," Sheik explained. He stared at the Hero he had waited so long for. Why did he feel so confused? So angry? 

"Link, we shall meet again!" Sheik threw down another flash bomb, this time one of his own creations with a whistling that even masked his steps over the marble floor as he fled.

He ran around the temple before stopping and resting against the side of a Gossip Stone. The cool stone felt good. Sheik's head hurt. He didn’t understand why after four long years of working to help Link, he was getting so much new information now. Who was that girl and why did she know so much? Why was he feeling so uncertain during a time for which he had been preparing for so long? And why did his right hand itch so much?


	83. Getting Answers

Sheik pulled out his harp. He didn't want to be near the Temple of Time right now. He needed to be home. He played the Nocturne and, arriving at the Shadow Temple, went inside the cavern. Inside the opening, but safely outside the walls of the temple itself, Sheik felt calmer. No one but him had been here in at least seven years. Lighting one of the many torches in the room, Sheik sat in the flickering light. It was time for answers.

Urgently, he played the Ballad, the notes garbling with his haste. Nevertheless, the magic worked and he was again in the meadow. The girl was leaning over her pool again, a wistful smile on her face.

"I want some answers."

The girl tore herself away from the pool and stood up, brushing her white dress. She answered calmly, but Sheik saw a hint of fire in her eyes at his tone. "Ask your questions, but know that there are some I cannot answer."

"Why Link?" Sheik was surprised, himself, that that was his first question. The girl stared at him, and Sheik felt she could see right into his heart. Her eyes softened.

"Link may seem like any other Hylian, but he is not. He is the reincarnation of the Hero, reborn in this time to defeat Ganondorf. He, himself, does not remember his past lives; all he has is the driving courage to fulfill his destiny once more. It is that courage, that unstoppable, unwavering courage that is needed to defeat Ganondorf. The Master Sword chose the Hero long ago and its journey is the Hero's.” She clasped her hands in front of her. “It does seem . . . simple in the face of the complicated reality of Ganondorf's damage to Hyrule. And it is hard to know that you cannot help the way he can."

Sheik started at that. He thought she was making a pointed comment at him, but looking at her face, he saw she shared the same pain. The way she had stared into the pool. Was she the same as him? Did she also want to fight? To be able to banish evil with her might alone? 

The last time he had seen her before Link's return; she had apologized after showing him the terrible vision. She had cried that all she had wanted to do was help, but she couldn’t do more than watch. For a moment Sheik could feel her pain, the crushing loneliness of being unable to do anything but watch helplessly.

"But the Hero is also never alone." The smile returned to her face. "Throughout the ages, the Hero always has had allies to help him, friends that lift him to where he needs to be and brave souls who risk everything to give him the chance to complete his role."

Sheik no longer knew if she was talking about him or her, but her words rang true and soothed his heart. If she had watched all this time, then she understood. But . . . 

"Who are you?" He asked again and once more the glint of guilt and fear and the pain of regret flashed across her face.

"I . . . " 

An image came suddenly of two small figures in a flower filled courtyard. One was young Link, the other a small girl in pink and white robes, blonde hair tucked up in an aristocratic fashion.

_ 'Link . . . now we are the only ones who can protect Hyrule! Please!' _

_Link held his small fist up in determination._ _'OK, Princess!'_

"I . . . " The girl took a deep breath and with a look of determination spoke firmly. "The Hero is never alone. There is always the Evil to fight, the Hero, and . . . the Princess."

She held a hand over her heart and held her head up with pride. "I am Princess Zelda."

_ What?!  _ "How? Princess Zelda died seven years ago. Impa saw her die."

Sorrow was etched on the princess's face and she reached a hand out to Sheik but then drew it back. "No. Impa lied. It is true Ganondorf's forces hunted us relentlessly. For two and a half years we fled until at last we could hide no longer."  _ Two years. But . . .  _ "In our hour of desperation, the Goddess Hylia came with a plan. A plan to seal me away until the Hero emerged. To hide me, and the piece of the Triforce inside me, from Ganondorf."

"Sealed? Inside the temple?" Sheik asked, confused.

She shook her head, eyes yearning for Sheik to understand. "No. Not in a temple. To hide the Triforce I had to disappear, covered by another. I was sealed in you, Sheik."

Sheik felt sick. The girl had appeared in his dreams around five years ago. He had thought she was Hylia then. Wouldn't he know if someone was sealed inside him? Had something happened? He tried to think back before that time but his mind came up blank. He couldn't remember.  _ He couldn't remember. _

"But why me?" He gasped.

Zelda's eyes filled with tears. "It was a moment of desperation. The Hero was gone and Ganondorf had found us; it was only a matter of time before his forces overwhelmed us. We couldn't let the Triforce fall into his hands. Impa followed the Goddess's instructions and performed an ancient magic. From her Sheikah blood and the Triforce's power I was locked away and a new being took my place until I returned. I disappeared, sealed away, only able to occasionally glance into the world through the new being's eyes."

Sheik put the pieces together and knew what she was going to say. It couldn't be true, he didn’t want to hear it. Zelda continued, her voice desperate. "Instead of a princess, Hyrule now had a brave Sheikah boy. I watched as he did more to help Hyrule in his first years than I had my whole life. I could have never imagined that the sealing would create you, Sheik."

He felt cold. It couldn't be. It was impossible. He was Sheik of the Sheikah Tribe. He had a family; he had parents. He tried to remember their faces but nothing came. Panic welled up. He grew up in Kakariko didn’t he? The elder's confused face rose from his memory. Impa trained him since his parents died right? Impa's probing questions in the Lost Woods, like she didn't know what they were doing there.

_ No. No! NO! _ It wasn't true, it couldn't be. He backed away from Zelda and she looked pained, reaching her hand out to him. "I didn't know . . . Sheik. You have to understand . . . "

Sheik turned away from her and ran. He ran over the grass, ran terrified. More terrified than he'd been the night Impa had died. He ran until the meadow faded and he was in the shadowy darkness of the cave. He stood up and stumbled to the exit. A glow caught his eye and he saw the shape of the Triforce fading on his right hand.

_ It's not true. I'm real! I'm Sheik, last of the Sheikah Tribe and I'M REAL! _

He would prove it. He leapt over the fence and tore through the graveyard, not bothering to be careful as he made his way through town. He wrenched open the door to the first house he reached and Anju jumped off the chair she had been sitting on in front of a small fireplace.

Sheik walked up to her and her eyes grew terrified. He grabbed her shoulders. "Anju, do you know who I am?"

The woman's face grew even paler. Sheik shook her. "Answer me!"

She started to cry. "Y—you're Sheik—k—k."

He froze, hope rising. Anju, sensing she was on the right track continued, "Y—you work for Ganondorf. You saved our village that time the Gerudo attacked."

Sheik felt a cold pit in his stomach. He was almost pleading when he asked, "Before that Anju. Who was I before that?"

"I'm sorry. I don't know. I'd never seen you before that. Please, don't hurt me."

Sheik let go and crumpled to the floor. "I . . . I used to chase your cuckoos. Impa would scold me." Sheik tried to draw the memory, but it was like he was remembering a line from a book. The words were there but the images were not.

Sheik sat, staring at the fire, his mind beginning to unravel. He half-heard Anju flee the house, and the instinctive trained part of his brain told him she would get the elder and he shouldn't let them find him like this. But he didn't care. Every time he tried to grasp some memory or some fragment of who he was it seemed to slip away. _ 'A new being took my place until my return'  _ Was this it? Was his whole life a lie and he was just a stand in—a placeholder to be brushed aside as the princess returned?

_ “Sheik. Sheik. Listen to me.” _

It was  _ her _ voice. The princess trapped in Sheik's head.

_ “No, go away.” _

_ “I know you're upset.”  _ The princess’s voice came again. _ “But there's someone you should talk to.” _

_ “Upset?!” _

_ “Just listen. Even I do not know the full story of what happened the day you . . . came to be. The one who can tell you the most about who you are is Impa.” _

Sheik let out a mad laugh.

_ “In case you missed that one while you watched, IMPA IS DEAD!”  _ Sheik screamed in his head. “ _ So unless she's sealed in my head too, it's not likely she'll be explaining anything.” _

_ “She's not dead.”  _ The princess retorted. “ _ That night in the castle, she got away. She left you in order to lead Ganondorf away, afraid he would find me inside you. She was afraid she would lead him right to me if she stayed with you.” _

Sheik struggled with more emotion. Impa had abandoned him? She was alive? Joy and anger mixed themselves into the typhoon of emotions coursing through him. Through it all, he managed to put together one thought.

_ “Where is she?” _


	84. Impa

Sheik cut his hand and smeared the blood on the door to the Shadow Templeand it slid open.  _ If I'm not real, then how did that work? _ He filed the question away in his small stack of ‘ _ evidence for existence’ _ but continued on his singular mission. He had a hard time believing that Impa was there, on the other side, and had been the whole time. He walked through the first fake wall and froze. There, sitting by a little fire, was Impa. At the sound of his steps she turned and stood in an instant, eyes wide.

Sheik’s voice, strained, spoke slowly and deliberately. "Have you been here the whole time?"

Impa shook her head and Sheik could see her examining him carefully, trying to read his emotions in her familiar Sheikah way.  _ Oh, you want to know how I feel? _

"I don't suppose you can talk? Was that all a lie, too?" Again, Impa shook her head. 

She moved, as if to take a step, and Sheik exploded. "Good! BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT TO SAY!"

Impa froze and Sheik breathed heavily. "You  _ lied  _ to me. From the very first moment . . . you led me to believe I was someone! You let me care and feel and then you  _ left  _ me. How could you do that to me?! Do you have any idea . . .” 

Angry hot tears rolled down his cheeks. “I was alone! The last Sheikah! A thirteen-year-old boy with _ no one _ . You even knew I was a lie, that there was literally no one in the world who knew who I was, but you LEFT me! Was I just a tool to you? Just one more way to protect your precious princess? And now after all these years you come back and just hide out in here. Are you just waiting for the seal to break? For your princess to come back and for me to disappear? Is that what you want? Is that—"

Impa moved quickly, like only a Sheikah could. She came at Sheik and hugged him. Wrapping her arms around him, desperately trying to communicate. Sheik struggled against her, fighting and yelling. "How could you?! How could you leave me!"

Sheik felt Impa's tears as they soaked through his shirt. He could feel his own falling down his face. Eventually, his rage trickled out and all that was left was the fear he had masked with anger. The fear that Zelda had spoken nothing but truth. Fear that he wasn't real. He let Impa hold him as he trembled in the face of that abyss. Until finally, exhausted beyond measure and held in the arms of the only mother he'd ever had, Sheik fell asleep.

When he woke up, Sheik was laying on a bedroll, blanket draped over him, and warmed by the small fire. Impa was on the other side, writing furiously. There was a small stack of paper by her side. When she had finished scribbling on the sheet of paper, she added it to the stack. Sheik watched, aware that his face was hidden by the shadow of the fire. Impa occasionally scrapped a sheet, tossing it to the flames. 

He watched her for a while before finally sitting up. She stopped her writing and glanced at him before reaching over and handing him the stack. He took from Impa and they held each other’s gaze for a few seconds before Impa broke away and continued to write. Feeling emotionally deadened, but still slightly apprehensive, Sheik looked at the first sheet.

_ Sheik, you were never no one. I do not know exactly how you came to be other than that the Goddess Hylia created you from the two people I hold most dear. She used the essence of my long dead brother, Sheik, and the spirit of Princess Zelda to create you. However, after you awoke it soon became clear that you were someone entirely new. And you were someone who I held just as dearly as those from whom you came . . .  _

Impa, the stony-faced relentless Impa, poured her heart out on these papers. She wrote every memory they had shared since Sheik had come to being. She wrote her thoughts, her hopes, and her struggles. Sheik could not deny that in a way, Impa had suffered more than anyone. She, too, had lost everyone. She, too, could do nothing but watch. And she didn't even have a voice to express her sorrow. After Impa handed him the last page, she sat there watching Sheik read. He was engrossed, and so she let herself stare. If Sheik had glanced up, he would have seen the pride in her eyes. That same pride was written down on the pages. A record of his existence. 

_ . . . and so Sheik, do not doubt you exist. Do not be angry with Princess Zelda; she has always only done the best she could for Hyrule. You may not have lived long, but it was her life you lived. You are tied together in unimaginable ways. And regardless of what may come, the Goddess Hylia created you, just like the rest of us. You are a Sheikah. You share our blood and I am proud to see you wear our crest. And never doubt that you are dear, so very dear, to me. _

Sheik sat, holding the last sheet still and staring into the fire. Finally he spoke, "So there is nothing I can do?"

Impa scribbled on another paper.  _ You can do what you've always done. _

"Give my life to protect Hyrule and the royal family. See the prophecy of Ganondorf's fall fulfilled. I have spent my whole life, short as it may have been, dedicated to those goals. I suppose I needn't stop now."

Impa held her hand to her chest, over her Sheikah eye in a salute, and Sheik knew what she meant.  _ Because you are Sheikah. _

He stood and saluted back. "And you won't leave again? We're in it together now, right?"

Impa nodded, though her face grew dark. Sheik knew why. She had written the reason she had come back. She had felt the seal she'd placed on Bongo Bongo slip. It was her responsibility to see that the creature remained locked safely away. But Sheik looked at Impa and knew there was another reason that Impa didn't even know. Seeing her now, he knew  _ she  _ was the Sage of Shadow.

"I will see you again, Impa."

_ Goodbye, Sheik. _


	85. Moving On

_ “Sheik.” _

_ “Yes, princess?” _

_ “I'm sorry.” _

_ “I know.” _

_ “Listen, Link is making his way up Death Mountain. He'll reach the summit soon.” _

Sheik pulled out his harp once again. “ _ How is he going to avoid burning in there?” _

_ “He met someone in the village, a little Goron that got away.”  _

The joy the princess felt coursed through Sheik and when he realized who she meant. He embraced it. “ _ Link met his namesake!” _

_ “Yes, and he gave our Link a special tunic to protect him from the heat.” _

_ “Alright, then I better get moving.”  _ Sheik played the Bolero of Fire, hoping the timing would work. The witches had removed the golden bracelet so Sheik could only be in the mountain for a short period.

It was  _ hot _ . Sheik had never been in the place without protection and he gasped as the heat hit him. He guessed he had maybe five minutes before he would collapse. In an attempt to get farther from the heat, Sheik made his way to a higher platform, farther away from the lava.

In a few more moments, Link appeared, wearing a red tunic. When he crossed the bridge leading to the temple entrance, Sheik jumped down in front of him. He thought about the song he would teach Link. About Link the Goron who taught it to him, and of Impa. The right words came to him, "It is something that grows over time; a true friendship. A feeling in the heart that becomes even stronger over time. The passion of friendship will soon blossom into a righteous power and through it, you will know which way to go."

There was another feeling now. It was Zelda's feelings for Link. Sheik felt the joy and hope she'd felt when Link had believed her. When he had trusted her enough to venture out and get the sacred stones. Besides Impa, he had been her first friend. 

"This song is dedicated to the power of the heart,” Sheik told Link as he began to play the harp. “Listen to the Bolero of Fire . . . "

Link obediently listened and then repeated the song back to Sheik. The two then played the song together. As they played, Sheik knew Zelda wanted nothing more than to speak to Link, to have him so close and yet being unable to do anything was painful. Their bond was strong enough that Sheik could believe it had lasted lifetimes. Their dedication to each other and their purpose was awe inspiring. The song ended with a flourish.

"Link. I'll see you again."

"Hey, wait—" Link stepped forward, but Sheik stepped back. Link couldn't know who Sheik was yet; Sheik couldn't bear it. “ _ Give me this, princess. Let me finish my time.” _

Sheik felt a small surge of power. It felt a bit like when Ganondorf used his. Fire rose between Link and Sheik, stopping the Hero in his tracks. Quickly, Sheik backed up and threw a flash bomb, once again using it to disappear.

_ “I don't know how you did that, but thank you.” _

_ “Our Triforce is awakening, too. Be careful, Sheik, we can't let it grow so strong that  _ he  _ senses it.” _

Sheik emerged from the summit, gratefully breathing the cool air. “ _ We have a problem, princess.” _

_ “What's wrong?” _

_ “If we follow the order of the prophecy, then next is the Water Sage.” _

_ “Yes?” _

_ “I never found that one.” _

_ “AAAAHHHHHH!” _

A feeling of fear coursed through Sheik. “ _ What is it?” _

_ “It's Ganondorf. He's using the Triforce's power at an immense level. I can't—he'll sense me!” _

Suddenly, Sheik couldn't feel Zelda. It was like someone had snuffed a candle. She had hidden herself again, but it was disturbing; now that she was gone, he realized how much of him she had started to fill up. It felt a little empty inside his own head.

He continued to head down the mountain. Whatever Ganondorf was up too, Sheik intended to find out what it was and how he could stop it.

"Hoohoo. Sheik, wait!" Kaepora Gaebora flew down and landed on a nearby boulder. "Ganondorf has breached the Zora Domain. Hoo! You have to go!"

"Now that he knows Link is getting into temples, he must have accelerated his plans." Sheik thought back to the many planning sessions between Ganondorf's remaining captains about how to get into the Zora Domain. The aquan race had sealed the entrance somehow and nothing Ganondorf or his troops had tried had managed to unseal it. Sheik had wondered why Ganondorf hadn't just unleashed all his evil powers on the door, but it had seemed for years like Ganondorf was storing his powers. Like he was saving them for something big.

"He's done holding back,” Sheik muttered under his breath. He turned to the owl and asked, “Rauru, can I have a lift?"

The owl seemed taken aback that Sheik wasn't being as icy and short as he usually was. He too must have realized that things were moving quickly and there wasn't time for petty infighting, because he didn't even ‘hoo’ back. He just spread his wings, clasping Sheik's shoulders before he took off.

Sheik had to admit the flight was thrilling. He would have enjoyed it more if he weren't frantically trying to think of how he was going to find a sage, temple, and song while Ganondorf made his attack.

Finally, the owl dropped him at the end of the Zora River. There was an opening in the wall that wasn't there before. "Hoo. Go quickly."

Sheik nodded and made his way inside. He moved quickly and quietly, sliding like a shadow along the walls. There were a few stalfos about, but they were rear guards, which meant Ganondorf had to be farther up ahead. Stealthily, Sheik made his way up the spiraling cavern, stopping as he heard the Dark King's voice.


	86. Princess Ruto

"Tell me who it is, and I'll consider sparing your life." Ganondorf demanded.

"Never." The responding voice was deep but had a strange bubbling sound, like someone gargling water.

Sheik moved faster as he felt the king's rage ripple through the cavern. "If you won't tell me who the sage is then I will just have to trap every Zora in your kingdom!"

There was a strange crashing sound and then the twin witches’ cackling. Sheik reached the room and carefully peered in. Ganondorf had his finger pointed at a huge Zora. Sheik knew the fishy form was especially large because three regular sized Zora were surrounded by stalfos up in a corner.

Through the cackling, Sheik heard a small gasp behind him. Another Zora was hiding in a crevice across the hall. Her hand raised to her mouth, fins spread out delicately. Her magenta eyes widened as she stared at the Zora King.

A flash of blue light surged forward from the witches behind Ganondorf who began to laugh. The Zora king was frozen, encased in strange red ice. Ganondorf sneered. "Now, before this whole sad excuse for a kingdom receives the same fate as its king, let's see if any of these fish have anything to say. Koume?"

Sheik heard the sound of a fire whooshing as Koume obliged and then one of the Zoras screamed. "Please no! I—I don't know anything!"

Knowing that what came next would be unpleasant and that there was nothing he could do about it, Sheik turned his attention to the hiding female Zora. She had fine jewels on her ears and even though the burned Zora was now screaming, her eyes were still locked on the Zora King.  _ Could she be . . . another princess?  _ He had heard the Zora King had a daughter and she matched the description.

Even if she wasn't, Sheik's time to do anything was rapidly disappearing. He slipped silently next to her, he grabbed her, covering her mouth and hissing in her ear. "Please be quiet. I can get you out if you listen carefully but we need to move fast."

The Zora continued to struggle and her magenta eyes flashed indignantly. Sheik could practically hear the  _ "How dare you!" _ written all over her face.

"If you don’t calm down, I'll knock you out and carry you!" Sheik had had about enough of princesses today and was determined to get this one out of danger. 

As soon as he finished his sentence, she stopped moving and looked at him strangely. Then she calmly tapped the hand that was covering her mouth. He let go. 

"Alright, mister grabby. You get me out and maybe I'll forgive you for handling my royal person so."

Sheik resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but instead spoke quickly. "Okay, for reasons I don't have time to go into right now, the stalfos won't question it if I march you out of here looking like you're my prisoner. So all you have to do is pretend to be captured." He had a sudden vision of her screaming dramatically and added, "Without drawing too much attention. And then once we clear the rear guard, we run somewhere safe."

"Zoras don't run. We swim, thank you very much.” The Zora cocked her hip, fins flaring delicately. “Why don't we escape into the central pool. If you can get me in there and you're half-decent at holding your breath, I can get us to Lake Hylia through the temple exit."

_ Temple . . .  _

"Yes. Ok. Fine. Let's do it, but we need to move quickly."

The Zora sighed and offered her hands. Sheik bent them behind her back and she made an offended noise that he ignored. He tied them with rope using a bulky looking knot that he could actually remove with a solid yank. Then he pulled out his kunai and pointed it at her throat.

"Excuse me!" 

Sheik lowered his voice and whispered. "Calm down, just go with it."

The two walked down the path quickly. A few stalfos turned to them but after seeing Sheik, looked away. Soon, they reached the edge of the large pool. The Zora Princess moved to get in, but Sheik held her back. "Wait."

"I thought we were in a hurry?" 

Sheik watched the stalfos that could see them walk slowly behind one of the stone lattices and then lowered his blade and gave the princess a nudge. "Alright, let's go."

"Hold your breath!" With more force than Sheik expected, the Zora yanked him and they slipped into the water. Her flippered feet and finned arms propelled them like an arrow. Through the crystal clear water Sheik could easily make the stone archway at the bottom of the pool they were headed for. 

They slipped through the opening and a slight current aided their escape. Sheik felt another tremor of power and turned to see what looked like thousands of bolts of white lightning. With start Sheik realized it was ice, rapidly coming towards them. He squeezed the Zora Princess’s hand and she got the message, kicking harder.

Sheik could feel the temperature of the water dropping and prayed they'd reach the rapidly approaching exit soon. They cleared the tunnel just as the ice sealed it. Sheik's lungs burned and he swam upward, bursting out gasping.

The Zora emerged with a graceful  _ ploop _ .

After a few lungfuls of air, Sheik spoke. "I am Sheik. I apologize for the way I treated you, it was the only way."

The Zora glanced down at the icy seal and then huffed, "Well, I suppose since you saved me, I will forgive this once." She smiled at Sheik. "I am Princess Ruto."

"Princess, you mentioned a temple as we fled. Did you mean the Water Temple?"

"Of course. As the princess, it's my duty to protect the temple."

_ Bingo. _

"But of course,” Sheik said. “And where exactly is this temple?"

Ruto's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Then she sniffed again. "Only those connected to the royal family can know that. So, unless you are my father, Zora De Bon XVI, myself, or my fiancé, Link, you do not get to know."

_ “HER WHAT?!”  _ Zelda's voice rebounded in Sheik's head and he winced.  _ “Ruto, you little . . .”  _

Sheik had another overwhelming memory. A small blonde child, Zelda, being introduced to a tiny Ruto in the Zora Domain.

_ 'It's a pleasure to meet you Princess Ruto.’ _

_ 'Yes, it is.' _

The young Zelda's smile wavered. She glanced around.

_ 'Uh . . . I like your home. The water makes a lovely sound.' _

_ 'Yes it does. Tell me, are all Hylian's eyebrows green or just yours?' _

The memory ended and Sheik felt himself lunge at Ruto. "Listen to me, Ruto! I am Princess Zelda and you will take Sheik and I to the Water Temple this instant."

Sheik had no control, Zelda had taken over his body.

Ruto's huge eyes grew even wider before she grinned. "Why, Zelda it  _ is  _ you! And everyone was saying that you were dead. Well  _ of course _ I'll take you to the Water Temple. Though I have to admit I never realized you'd grow up to be so . . . masculine. And here I was thinking Sheik reminded me of my fiancé."

_ “Link is her fiancé?”  _ Sheik asked mentally.

_ “NO!”  _ came the furious response. Her emotions raging, Zelda was too strong. Sheik could feel himself slipping away. It was like drowning in dark water, the light growing ever thinner. 

_ “Zelda . . . please . . . not . . . yet . . .”  _ he pleaded trying to gather himself.

Sheik felt his mouth form a little ‘O’ and then his vision blurred and he was back in control. He must have had quite the change of expression because Ruto looked genuinely concerned. "Zelda, are you alright?"

"It's me again, Princess Ruto. It's Sheik. Listen, I know this whole thing is strange, but I need you to teach me the song of the Water Temple."

"Whatever for?"

"I need to teach it to Link so he can go to the temple and defeat the monster inside."

Sheik remembered with a shudder the strange electric being that Ganondorf had released into the temple. He had shown it to Sheik and the captains while explaining his eventual plans for the Zoras. The strange amoeba had a connection to the ice curse Koume and Kotake developed. It was not normal ice and would only melt if the amoeba died, being the source of its strength.

"Oh, Link is coming? Fantastic! Here, give him this song as a gift from me." With that, Ruto began to sing. Sheik had to admit she had a lovely voice and he quickly memorized the notes.

"Thank you, princess. If you would wait and hide in the Water Temple, I'm sure Link will be there soon."

"Very well. Thank you, Sheik. Goodbye Sheik, goodbye Zelda. The temple is just on the other side of the Lake, tell my darling Link I'll be waiting!"

With that she was gone, flying gracefully through the water to the temple.

_ “Well, there goes the Sage of Water.”  _ Sheik thought with satisfaction.


	87. Cleared Skies

Sheik watched Ruto swim off and then stared in horror. Lake Hylia was changing. The deep blue waters were falling like someone had pulled out a bath plug. Quickly, Sheik swam to shore the water he was in dropping. He barely made it to the shore before the ground was too high to reach. 

In a matter of minutes, only a few small pools remained on the empty lakebed. Sheik shook his head. Ganondorf's powers continued to grow; this was no doubt part of the curse centered around the creature in the Water Temple.

Sheik figured he had at least a few hours before Link would get out of Death Mountain and with everything that had happened, he was exhausted. He knew that Ganondorf and the two remaining captains must have noticed his disappearance by now and there was a good chance that returning to the castle would result in an interrogation. So, he decided to hide out by the lake. 

There was only one building on Lake Hylia’s shore, a laboratory with two tall rickety towers. Entering through the roof between the towers. Sheik found a quiet attic where he could rest. Sheik's eyes closed as he let himself rest.

"I'm sorry about what happened with Ruto," Zelda said, sitting next to Sheik in the grassy meadow. "It has just been so long since I've been able to do anything. In a way, it feels like I was roaming Hyrule with Impa just yesterday. But at the same time, I remember the long years. Glances through your eyes and through my visions of what was happening to my kingdom. And now, I feel alive again, not like a ghost."

Sheik watched Zelda's face as she stared at the waving grass. She had a haunted look, but there was a light in her eyes. It was a glint of determination that Sheik recognized. The aching need to do something, to fight to protect your home. It stirred memories of when he had asked Impa about his purpose, when he had found out about the sages, and when he had watched Ganondorf attack Kakariko. 

Sheik was ready to do anything to protect the last bit of hope in Hyrule. He’s kept the last light alive in hopes it could one day banish the darkness. Now he realized the light wasn't just the prophecy or the Hero's awakening, it was Zelda too.

He had kept the princess safe all these years. Sheik felt pride at that. As a Sheikah, what more could he have hoped for? Even now, Sheik could feel the power of Zelda and her piece of the Triforce, just beneath the surface of his consciousness. Every moment, Zelda looked clearer, stronger, and more real. She was ready, ready to banish the darkness that had taken her home and reclaim her throne. Sheik knew it was her destiny and he wanted her to fulfill it. And yet, an old worm of frustration curled in Sheik's belly.

The bitter question.  _ Why not me? Why could I not do it? Did I not fight for Hyrule harder than anyone these last three years? _ Sheik tried to make sense of his emotions. It wasn't that Sheik needed to be the Hero, the center of attention. Working from the shadows felt natural to him. There was just something about Link and Zelda that made Sheik jealous. Something that made him want the end never to come.

"Princess, can I ask you something?"

"Of course." She turned to him, strands of blonde hair falling off her shoulder.

"What is going to happen when Link finds the sixth sage?"

"Once he has collected the power of the six sages, he will be strong enough to confront Ganondorf. However, he cannot win alone. He needs the seventh sage in order to seal Ganondorf away."

"The seventh sage?"

"Yes,” Zelda said as she turned to him and smiled. “I am the seventh sage. With my magic combined with the sages', we can finally seal away the defeated Ganondorf."

"But why can't Link just kill him? He may think he is a god, but he is a man."

Zelda sighed. "His current form might be that of a man, but he is more than that. The spirit born inside him is that of a greater evil. Something ancient and immortal. It is my belief that even if the Hero slays Ganondorf, that evil will just escape and be reborn. By sealing him away, we prevent that from happening.."

_ BOOM! _

Sheik jumped up. "What was that?"

The vision blurred and Sheik woke up as another resounding boom filled the air. In a flash, Sheik was out of the attic and running towards Hyrule Field.

It didn't take long to see what made the sound. Death Mountain shot fire into the sky and the ground shook. The reddened sky faded and the mountain quieted. Sheik's heart soared as he saw the dark ring change back to a peaceful white for the first time in years. Link had defeated Volvagia. The guilt he had carried for years about planting that monster was gone. It hadn't mattered, Link had defeated even Ganondorf's great dragon.


	88. Zelda’s Heart

Sheik watched from the shadows as Link slid across the frozen pool, shattering ice demons with the Master Sword. Link pulled out a bottle from which flickered a strange blue flame. He tipped the bottle over the red ice blocking the next hall of Zora’s domain and it melted with a hiss.

Sheik followed Link back into the frozen kingdom as the Hero moved on to his next task. After checking for survivors, the Hero headed straight for the Zora King's chambers. Sheik expected Link to turn back after seeing the king’s frosty fate. He had moved to reveal himself and tell Link about Ruto, but Link ran up and went past the king through a gate hidden behind the massive Zora.

The gate behind the Zora King led to a large pool of water that was only halfway frozen. Sheik watched confused as Link looked around like he'd expected something to be there. Turning to chat with his fairy, Link pointed at some ice platforms leading to a cave and then set off without hesitation. How did Link manage to find this place? Had he been here before? 

Since the Hero seemed to have some sort of plan, Sheik continued to secretly tail him. Eventually, Link came to a room with a large ancient chest. He opened it and triumphantly pulled out boots with heavy iron plates on them.

"See, Navi! I knew there had to be something in here. If I wear these I can go farther underwater than diving with the Zora scale."

The fairy flew about the boots excitedly before hovering in front of Link's face. He batted her away. "Yeah, yeah. I know. But all the Zora are frozen, how am I supposed to ask them where the temple is?"

_ That’s my cue,  _ Sheik decided. He stepped out from where he was hiding and faced Link.

"We meet again, Link. If you came here to meet the Zoras, you wasted your time . . . this is all there is. With one exception, the Zoras are now sealed under this thick ice sheet. I managed to rescue the Zora Princess, but she left to head for the Water Temple.” Link’s eyes lit up with recognition. 

"This ice is created by an evil curse,” Sheik continued. “The monster in the Water Temple is the source of the curse. Unless you shut off the source, this ice will never melt. If you have courage enough to confront the danger and save the Zoras, I will teach you the melody that leads to the temple."

As Link watched him, this time with anticipation, the driving fire still in his eyes, Sheik felt Zelda stir once more. His mind blanked and he felt her influence his words. "Time passes, people move . . . like a river's flow, it never ends. A childish mind will turn to noble ambition. Young love becomes deep affection. The clear water's surface reflects growth. Now listen to the Serenade of Water to reflect upon yourself."

Sheik played the Serenade and Link joined him. The notes glistened in the icy chamber and as the last one faded Sheik bid Link goodbye. "Link, I'll see you again."

Determined, Link rushed forward, as if to stop Sheik, but he was not as fast. With another flash of light, Sheik was gone. 

“ _ You miss him that much, huh?”  _ Sheik could feel Zelda's ache whenever they saw Link. Her memories with Link from their childhood always drifted in the back of Sheik’s mind when Link was around.

_ “Yes. Besides Impa, he was the only friend I ever had. Until . . . “ _

_ “Until what?” _

_ “Well, until you, Sheik.” _

Sheik nearly slipped on the ice and cracked his head. It had only been recently that he'd realized the blue-eyed girl from his dreams was Princess Zelda, but it had changed how he'd thought of her. He considered those few times Zelda had appeared to him before Link's return. Even the time she had shown him the terrible vision, he had been glad to see her. 

When she was around, he hadn't felt so alone. Which  _ had  _ felt a bit pathetic when he’d thought she was only a voice in his head. But now he knew who she was . . . well, he had forgotten the time they'd spent together before he knew. The way she had comforted him when he'd thought all hope was lost and how she had guided him through his dreams of Kakariko. He realized that she wasn't just his princess; they had been through everything together.

Not knowing whether he should thank her or reciprocate the sentiment, Sheik mentally stuttered. He could feel Zelda's amusement and it annoyed him that he was being laughed at in his own mind. "You know, princess,” Sheik teased. “Without any context, those words you said to Link seemed like they were referring to Princess Ruto."

Sheik felt her horror at that realization and it was Sheik's turn to laugh. 


	89. Lake Hylia

It was a while before Link actually played the Serenade. He’d figured out the blue fire also melted small amounts of Ganondorf's ice and had freed the Zora King. In thanks, the king had given him a blue tunic, enchanted to let the wearer breathe underwater. Considering the Water Temple entrance was below even the diminished lake's water level, Sheik was glad.

After an hour or so, Link teleported back to Lake Hylia and Sheik secretly, using the Serenade himself. Crossing Hyrule Field was probably too dangerous now that Sheik had gone rogue. Hopefully Link would finish before any of Ganondorf's troops spotted Sheik and verified that he had turned traitor. He shuddered to think of how Captain Ruba would react. 

By now, Ruba only had two dozen Gerudo left. Her army had been whittled down over the years, either killed in action or deserted as the castle grew more saturated with dark magic. In a way, Ruba and Sheik had bonded as some of the only living beings in the castle. He knew that, at least to her, his loyalty had become unquestioned since he had stayed by the king's side when all others had left. Sheik wasn't sure exactly what she would do if she knew the truth, but he was pretty sure her halberd would be involved.

The notes of the Serenade faded as Sheik appeared on the small island in the middle of the drained lake. He watched the lake for signs of Link's success as the hours ticked by, making himself comfortable on a grassy patch.

Sheik wondered how long he had left before Zelda would return. It was only a matter of time, things were moving so quickly. Link had already awakened three sages, and Sheik no longer doubted he could awaken the rest. He felt a bit . . . helpless. Was this all he could do in his last days? Sheik could give Link information and watch his progress from the shadows, but he couldn't help the actual fight. It was something Link had to do alone—something only he could do. 

It was a depressingly familiar feeling to have to watch and wait. After all, couldn't Kaepora Gaebora just as easily give Link guidance? He supposed it would be hard for the owl to teach the songs, but was that what Sheik was? Just a pair of musically talented fingers?

_ “Don't be ridiculous.”  _ Zelda chastised. 

Sheik felt annoyed. “ _ Well then, do you have an answer for me?” _

_ “You know perfectly well that no one else could have done what you did. No one else could have snatched Ruto safely from under Ganondorf's nose. You're the one who stole secrets from Ganondorf's own homeland. You saved Lon Lon Ranch and Kakariko. You even saved Darunia's son's life. Every race in Hyrule is in your debt. You even won the Gerudo's respect!” _

Zelda's passionate response surprised Sheik. She firmly continued,  _ “You did all of those things by your own strength. You fought for hope and light when you were alone in a world of darkness. If you think for a moment anyone else could have done that, you are wrong.” _

Glancing over to the entrance of the Water Temple, Sheik thought about Link. The Hero of Time had the power to vanquish darkness. Zelda sensed his argument.

_ “You're wrong. Link couldn't have done it. Why do you think he was sealed away? As capable and brave as the Hero is, he has never been alone. He has always had friends and guides to help him find his way. It's true he can do what others cannot—he can vanquish evil that is otherwise unbeatable. But to get there he needed  _ you _. The only reason he is able to mount the attack on Ganondorf so quickly is because you set the path for him.” _

Her voice filled with deep emotion. _ “And you Sheik, you had no reason to fight so hard. You did it because that is who you are: someone who strives to help the world no matter what. Watching you made me so happy.”  _ Sheik could practically feel her blue eyes on him. “ _ When I agreed to be sealed away, I thought I was abandoning my people—like I was giving up on them to save myself even though I knew I had to wait for the chosen time. But then when you replaced me, when you did so much for my kingdom and my people, I was so proud. If my disappearance meant you could live and fight in my stead, it was worth it. When you made that oath at the tomb of my family, I no longer had regrets. I knew that with you, my kingdom was in good hands.” _

Sheik fought the tears; he felt as if her words had filled a hole in his heart. The bitterness faded. He’d feared that no one would ever know; that no one would ever understand what he had done. If those four years were all the life he had, if his past was fiction and he could no longer fight for a future, there was no one to tell him if he had done right. He’d thought he’d lived his short life alone, but he hadn't. Zelda had been there, watching and praying. She  _ knew _ . She knew  _ everything  _ he had given and she trusted him. He was a Sheikah, but the princess, last survivor of the royal family, had given up years of her life for him . . . and been glad.

_ “Princess . . . thank you. I—” _

A strange gurgling sound interrupted Sheik’s thoughts. The water levels of the lake were rising! The dead brown of the dried lake bed disappeared under sparkling blue water.

"As the water rises, the evil vanishes from the lake. Link, you did it!" It was Zelda's words spoken aloud, but Sheik meant them all the same.

A soft blue glow shone from behind Sheik and he turned to see Link descending from a pillar of light onto a platform bearing the symbol of water. Link spotted Sheik as he landed and ran towards him. "Sheik, wait! Princess Ruto, or rather the Water Sage, wanted me to thank you."

Sheik didn't move, did not flee this time. "Ruto wanted to thank me? I see . . . we have to return peace to Hyrule for her sake, too. Don't we?"

He no longer felt bitter towards Link. Gesturing towards the lake he continued, "Look at that, Link. Together you and Princess Ruto destroyed the evil monster. Once again, the lake is filled with pure water. All is as it was here."

_ Ganondorf's attempts are being thwarted by Link faster and faster.  _ Sheik walked to the edge of the island and watched the water sparkling, now a deep orange in the dying sunlight. He heard Link move to stand beside him. He, too, was staring at the water. Sheik noticed he was taller than Link. For some reason the idea made him want to laugh.

Zelda watched Link too, and Sheik could feel how much she wanted to reach out to him. To tell him she was there. Instead, however, she backed down. 

"Sheik . . . do you know what happened to Princess Zelda?" The Hero asked. Link turned to hear Sheik's answer, but he was gone. Zelda and Sheik watched from atop the tree on the island as Link searched around for Sheik.

_ “I can't. Not yet.”  _ Zelda's thought had a strange emotion. Fear? Guilt?

_ “Soon, princess,”  _ Sheik thought comfortingly. “ _ We can wait a little longer.” _

It was strange, but Sheik wanted Zelda to return now. Although still terrified at the thought of disappearing, if it meant she could return then he could do it. They were in this together.

The two turned again to the pure water, watching it with the same eyes. Then with a leap they dove into it, letting the cold water wash away their fears.


	90. Burning

Sheik lay down on the makeshift bed he’d made in the laboratory attic. He’d watched Link set up camp in the field by a scarecrow, and prepared himself to wait for the Hero to set out again. Sheik closed his eyes, letting himself drift back to the meadow.

"Princess?"

The two were laying in the grass, staring up at the endless blue sky. She smiled at him. "Yes?"

"What are you afraid of?"

Zelda was quiet for a while, but Sheik waited patiently. Finally, she spoke softly. "I'm afraid of facing Link again. After . . . after everything."

Sheik rolled over to look at her and frowned. She bit her lip. "What do you mean?" Sheik asked.

"Well, it's my fault."

"What is?"

Zelda sat up, pulling her knees to her chest. "Everything! Ganondorf's power, Link being sealed away, Impa's injuries . . . "

He watched her shoulders tense as she spoke. Sheik sat up and moved next to her. "How could all of that be your fault?"

"I was foolish. I told Link to open the Sacred Realm and we led Ganondorf right to the Triforce."

Sheik thought about that. "Why did you want to open the Sacred Realm?"

"I thought . . . I thought that if we could get to the Sacred Realm before Ganondorf, we could use the Triforce's power to defeat him."

"That doesn't seem so foolish to me."

"But Ganondorf was ahead the whole time!” She gripped her knees. “If we hadn't opened the Door of Time, Ganondorf would have never gotten the Triforce of Power."

"You couldn't have known that,” Sheik insisted. “You were just a kid. It's amazing that you even knew Ganondorf's intentions."

Zelda sniffed and smiled a little. "It was Link who was amazing. He gathered all three Sacred Stones even though he was also a child. And then he managed to get to the Temple of Time and the Sacred Realm without me. And then . . . "

Zelda buried her face in her hands and whispered. "And then he lost seven years of his life. Gone! Sealed away without a choice. How could he forgive me for that?"

Sheik hesitated for a moment, but then placed his arm around Zelda. He remembered how it had felt to be alone and haunted by whether your choices had been right. To have no one to tell you it was ok. "I don't think Link is the kind of person to blame you. If he regretted losing those years, he would go back in time and never draw the Master Sword again. He would return to the Lost Woods and remain a child forever. But maybe . . . maybe what he wanted was to grow up. To be able to fight for who he cared about."

Zelda looked up, her blue eyes glistening. "You really think . . . "

He smiled at her but her eyes opened wide and Sheik saw a flash of red on them. The blue swirled aside, replaced by flickering flame. Sheik felt himself falling and then he was in Kakariko. There was the smell of smoke and Sheik felt his body freeze.

"Sheik!" He turned and saw Zelda running towards him; flames grew from the buildings behind her.

"Princess! What's happening?!" 

Grabbing Sheik's arm, Zelda pulled him and forced his frozen legs into a run. "I don't know. I think this is a vision."

"But why now? Why Kakariko?"

"I—" Zelda’s thought was cut short as a powerful voice called out.

"SHEIK!" 

They both froze. They knew that voice; it was the voice of Ganondorf.

"Princess, hide!" Sheik shoved Zelda behind some crates and ran towards the voice. He skidded to a stop in front of the old well. There was a strange black ooze bubbling up from it.

"YOU DARE BETRAY ME!" The voice was everywhere; it resounded in Sheik's head, driving him to his knees. "YOUR VILLAGE WILL BURN!  _ YOU  _ WILL BURN!"

Sheik screamed as a force threw him against a wall, He crashed through it and into a burning building. Flames were everywhere, licking his arms and singeing his hair. Smoke filled his lungs.

He woke up, covered in sweat and gasping.  _ No. No. No. Please it can't . . .  _

Grabbing his pack, Sheik climbed out the window and half-fell, half-climbed down the side of the laboratory. He ran towards Hyrule Field.

_ “Sheik, the Nocturne!”  _ Of course! His mind was racing so fast he'd forgotten. His hands shook as he pulled out the harp and played the Nocturne of Shadow.

He flew over the dark field, through the night, and towards Kakariko. Even though he knew it wasn't really his home, his heart ached at the thought of losing the village. Anju, the elder, Talon, and even the red and blue brothers. He had kept them safe; he couldn't, he _wouldn’t_ let them die now!

As soon as his feet rematerialized, Sheik jumped off the fence. He ran through the graveyard and into the village. The dawn light was just beginning to pinken the sky. The village was quiet, but Sheik couldn't shake the dread in his stomach. He ran to the well and saw two familiar shapes hovering above it and staring down inside.

"Kekeke! So it's true!"

"The Phantom Shadow Beast is in here!"

Koume and Kotake circled the well on their brooms, cackling.

"Let's break that silly seal, sister!"

"Yes, and finally bring an end to this miserable village!"

Sheik ran forward, throwing a well aimed needle at each of the witches. Magic shields, blue and red, deflected the needles and the witches turned their bulbous eyes to Sheik.

"The stupid dog has come out of hiding!"

"Perfect! Lord Ganondorf didn't want him to miss the show!"

Koume flew higher and fire poured from her broomstick, spilling over the homes of the villagers.

"No!" Sheik yelled as smoke began to rise from the rooftops.

Kotake was muttering above the well, her forehead gem glowing. She screamed out a word that Sheik didn't recognize and there was a rumble. The ground shook as a piercing crack rang in the air.

With a last laugh, the witches flew off, out of Sheik's reach. Sheik looked around desperately. Two houses were already ablaze, and the occupants began to scream.


	91. The Well

_ “Move, Sheik!”  _ Zelda's voice snapped him out of his daze and he ran towards one home. He burst inside; a young couple was cowering in a corner, coughing as the house filled with smoke.

"Hurry!” Sheik yelled. “Out this way!" They followed his voice and fell, gasping, outside.

"Honey!" One said while holding the other. "Darling!"

Leaving the amorous couple in each other's arms, Sheik ran to the next house. A bearded man was helping the elder out. Sheik was about to move on to the next when he felt a ripple of dark power. The hair on the back of his neck rose and his blood felt like ice. He turned and saw the well. Although there was no black ooze like in the vision, Sheik could  _ feel _ something inside.

He forced himself to walk to the well, although every instinct in Sheik’s body told him to run. He stared into the inky depths, trying to see the source of the dark power.

_ “What's down there, Sheik?”  _ Zelda asked, fear in her voice.

_ “An evil beast. Impa sealed it away years ago beneath the well. For the seal to break, even with Kotake's help, its power must have been growing with Ganondorf's.” _

Sheik sensed more than heard Link arrive. The Hero ran through the village towards Sheik. As he approached, there was a surge of dark energy.

"Get back, Link!" Sheik shouted.

The poles above the well broke and flew into the air as if hit with an enormous force. Sheik heard them clatter behind him, but never took his eyes off the well opening. Something was coming up.

It came faster and Sheik raised his hands, falling into a combat position. He felt it emerge from the wall, but couldn't see anything. He glanced around. It had begun to rain.

_ OOF!  _ Something large grabbed him around the waist, crushing the air from his lungs. It lifted him off the ground and he was thrashed around by the invisible force like a rag doll before being released. He had enough time to yell before he came crashing, face first, into the dirt and blacked out.

When Sheik came to with a start. Impa was leaning over him.

"Impa . . . the village." He groaned and Impa grabbed his hand and pulled him up. He looked around, wincing and feeling his head. There was a large lump by his right temple.

The village was nearly put out. The rain had helped a lot and Sheik could see villagers forming a line and splashing more water on the remaining flames. Many of the houses were once again seriously damaged and with the well out of commission Sheik imagined the villagers didn't have much water to use.

_ “Where's Link?”  _ Zelda worried.

Sheik glanced around and saw a still, green form by a stone wall. He ran over and leaned down, checking if Link was alive, his heart in his throat. The Hero was pale but breathing, just unconscious, a gash on his forehead where he'd probably hit the wall. Sheik tore part of the cloth wrappings he had on his hand and gently cleaned the wound. It looked worse than it was, Link would be fine.

Impa was doing her best to direct the fire brigade without words, and despite confusion, the last fire was put out just as the rain let up. Exhausted, the villagers dragged themselves to the couple of untouched homes to plan for the future. Sheik saw more than a few of them stare at him in suspicion. A number tried asking Impa some questions, pointing in his direction, but when they realized she was mute they quickly let off and fell into following her non-verbal commands without question. She was the leader of Kakariko after all. Even after seven years, the village had not forgotten her.

Finally, Impa returned to where Sheik was sitting by Link's side. 

"Impa . . . " Last time Sheik had seen her, Zelda had given him space. Now her emotions mixed with his as they both looked up at the woman who was so important to them.

Impa looked at Sheik and he could tell she was seeing Zelda too. She nodded to the well and then pointed in the direction of the graveyard. She was going after the creature.

"But Impa, it's stronger than before! You can't go after it alone." Both Sheik and Zelda’s concern filled their voice.

The Sheikah woman smiled and then looked down at Link. It made sense; if Bongo Bongo had gone to the Shadow Temple, Link would follow and defeat it. At least if Impa went, she could keep it from leaving.

"Alright, but be careful," Sheik said. Impa nodded and turned to go. Sheik suddenly realized that if she was the Shadow Sage, this could be the last time they saw each other. "Impa!"

She turned back around, concern on her face. Sheik stared at her, not wanting her to go. "Thank you, for everything. I'm glad I had you in my life."

Impa looked like she was going to come back, but Sheik turned away, looking down at Link. Sheik barely heard Impa leave.

He could feel Zelda wanting to say something, but she stayed quiet. There wasn't anything to say. After all, they felt the same about the last of the Sheikah.


	92. Confrontation

Sheik felt a strange sensation in his right hand a few moments after Impa left.

_ “It's him. He's coming.” _

Zelda and Sheik looked down at the unconscious Hero. They couldn't let Ganondorf find him in this condition. Besides, Ganondorf had come for Sheik, not Link.

Link stirred and Sheik bent over him. His eyes blinked open, unfocused. 

"Looks like you're coming around.” Sheik said as Link sat up, his blue eyes clearing as he met Sheik’s red.

“Link, a terrible thing has happened,” Sheik explained. “The evil shadow spirit has been released. Impa, the leader of Kakariko Village, had sealed the evil shadow spirit in the bottom of the well. But the force of the evil spirit became so strong, the seal of the well broke, and it escaped into the world!"

Sheik helped Link stand adding, "I believe Impa has gone to the Shadow Temple to seal it again, but she will be in danger without any help!”

Link reached for his sword and Sheik stepped back. "Link, Impa is one of the six sages. Destroy the evil shadow spirit and save Impa. There is an entrance to the Shadow Temple beneath the graveyard behind this village. The only thing I can do for you is teach you the melody that will lead you to the Shadow Temple."

Sheik knew all too well how dangerous the Shadow Temple was and how invasive the darkness was. He hoped Link was ready. "This is the melody that will draw you into the infinite darkness that absorbs time . . . Listen to this—the Nocturne of Shadow."

One last time, Sheik played the Nocturne, teaching it to the Hero. He pointed to the graveyard and said urgently, "Let me take care of the village. I'm counting on you, Link!"

With a solemn nod, Link, sensing that time was of the essence, ran in the direction of the graveyard.

_ “We have to lead Ganondorf away from here.”  _ They could feel the Dark King getting closer. Sheik climbed the Kakariko watchtower and stared at the entrance, waiting for a sign of the king's approach, harp held close. Finally, Sheik heard the heavy purposeful steps of Ganondorf's massive black horse.

Although he was only a small figure from the high vantage point, Sheik could see Ganondorf's red eyes gleaming with hatred. They stared into Sheik's and he felt Zelda shrink back.

"To what do we owe the pleasure, my lord?" He called from above.

Sheik knew there would be no convincing Ganondorf to spare anyone this time. The only way to keep him from slaughtering everyone and finding Link would be to keep his attention; so he let mockery seep into his voice. 

The king's eyes narrowed but his booming voice was calm. "I admit I am surprised to see you alive. Surprised, but not disappointed; I will enjoy killing you myself."

Sheik gave a bow. "I am hardly deserving of that honor. What are my crimes, may I ask?"

Ganondorf reached a hand out and it filled with a crackling purple energy. He stared at it idly as he answered. "High treason. Reports of you escorting the Zora Princess before her mysterious disappearance for one. All those years ago you told me the prophecy in exchange for your life; it was a dangerous risk keeping someone with that knowledge alive. I admit I should have killed you then.” The sphere around his hand grew larger; the energy distorting the air around it. A cold, dark feeling crept over Sheik. "You are a dangerous loose end, Sheik. But it doesn't matter. You will die now!"

As soon as Ganondorf released the sizzling energy at his target, Sheik jumped off the tower. He launched himself backwards and his fingers moved frantically over the harp. The energy blasted into the tower and it exploded. The shockwave rippled over Sheik but he was unaffected; already turning into specks of light to rise into the air.  _ Catch me if you can! _

The blue lights rose higher and flew into the sky whistling across Hyrule Field. Sheik felt a pinprick of self-satisfaction when he passed over Ganondorf's enraged face. But the pure evil in those eyes . . . Sheik couldn't help but feel very, very afraid.

When he landed in the stone pedestal, Sheik felt his legs give out and he collapsed on top of the water symbol. He may have escaped physical harm, but he still felt cold from the king's dark aura. He'd even had the harp! Ganondorf's powers had grown.

_ “Do you really think he'll come after us?”  _ asked Zelda and Sheik pulled himself to his feet.

_ “He may enjoy killing innocents, but this was personal. More than just my betrayal, he knows that I know about the sages. He can't afford to let me slip away. Also, he most likely assumes I headed towards Link. I just worry that if we are on the run, we won’t be able to get the last song to Link? How will we even know where he is?” _

_ “Leave that to me,” _ Zelda responded _. “I should probably lie low anyway. You know where to find me.” _

It was strange to feel Zelda fade away. It took a while and Sheik felt emptier again. They had become more fused over the last few days. It was like when you are talking to someone and you turn to face them to find they've already left. You wonder how long you've been talking to thin air and in a way you still feel like they're there. Because Zelda wasn't  _ there _ , wasn't part of his every thought, it almost felt like she should be standing beside him but wasn’t. Not a pleasant feeling.

Sheik waited, leaning against the tree on the small island on Lake Hylia. An hour passed and then another before Sheik felt something on his right hand. He knew that if he removed the wrappings he always wore, he would see the faint outline of the Triforce. It was resonating with one of its sister pieces.

The sky grew dark and all sound stopped. Sheik's song was already forming when the shape formed out of the darkness. Sheik was lucky he had started, because the shape rushed him at impossible speed. A dark, massive silhouette of a man with red eyes, moving quickly and filled with rage. It lashed at Sheik, who had already become green light. As it passed through the light, Sheik felt his vision blur.

He faded in and out of consciousness until he landed on the leafy floor outside the Forest Temple. Somehow, the dark magic had still touched him. His body was drained. He had hardly eaten the last few days and with his energy gone, he wobbled as he stood. 

_ This isn't good. _


	93. The Chase

Shakily, Sheik made his way through the trees to the Kokiri village. There were even more monsters than there had been four years ago. However, even in his weakened state, Sheik had no problem avoiding the deku babas, scrubs, and octoroks. He made it to Saria's house and went inside. He knew she wouldn't be there; she had awakened as a sage after all.

He raided her kitchen and ate the nut cake and berries he found there. He felt some of his energy return as he ate. He hoped the Lost Woods would hide him longer than the lake had. It would give him time to check on Link. 

Gulping down a last cup of water, Sheik played the Ballad of the Goddess. The small forest home faded away into the open meadow. Zelda was leaning over the pool and Sheik hurried to her side.

"Link hadn’t gone far into the Shadow Temple when he left for some reason. He went to the Temple of Time and when he came out he was holding that." Zelda pointed at the pool and Sheik saw Link holding a strange object up to his face. It looked like a purple magnifying glass with a red lens. Sheik had seen that object before . . . 

"The Lens of Truth!" He exclaimed.

"What?"

"It's an ancient Sheikah artifact,” Sheik explained. “I saw sketches of it in Impa's papers about Bongo Bongo. How did Link get it?"

"I don't know. But when he holds it up to his eye, he seems to see things. He walks through walls, fights invisible foes, and sees things even  _ I _ can't."

Sheik nodded, "That makes sense. The Lens of Truth reveals all things hidden. I don't know how he knew to find it, but maybe with it he'll be able to see the Phantom Beast."

The two watched as Link made his way through the temple. They were observing Link’s fight against stalfos aboard the unearthly Shadow Ferry when Sheik felt the Triforce resonate again.

"I've got to go, he's coming again!"

Zelda nodded and in a moment Sheik was back in Saria’s small home. He didn't wait; he pulled out the harp and played the Bolero of Fire. The mountain would have plenty of places to hide. Plus, Sheik hoped that by going to the temples Link had already visited, Ganondorf would become more enraged and single minded on destroying Sheik.

The oppressive heat took Sheik’s breath away and he hurried out of the crater. From the top of the mountain, Sheik could see all possible paths up to where he was. Sheik had left the forest so quickly that he wasn't sure if Ganondorf, or whatever he had sent after Sheik, had found him among the Kokiri. As a couple hours ticked by, the sun slowly setting, Sheik became sure that leaving the Kokiri village early had bought them some time.

Even though it was a risk, Sheik went to the meadow again. Zelda looked concerned as he approached her. "Sheik, we have a problem. Link is . . . well , wandering."

"What do you mean wandering?"

"Well he defeated Bongo Bongo, returned to the Temple of Time, and went back to Hyrule Field. But instead of going straight to the desert, he went here."

She pointed at the pool and Sheik knelt down beside her and looked. He flinched at what he saw. A familiar young woman with long red hair singing as Link stood beside her playing his ocarina. Both of them watched uncomfortably and finally Zelda stood up. "See? What is he doing? 'One in the goddess of sand.' That should have been enough to at least point him towards the desert right?"

"Well, it's possible he just wanted to visit. He met Malon when he was a child."

"How do you know that?" Zelda seemed upset.

Sheik looked back at the pool sheepishly. "I . . . erm . . . she had pictures of Link in her room. Sketches she drew of them together."

"In her room . . . "

"I was scouting the ranch out for my first mission. Honestly, I was as surprised as you. Link seems to pop up everywhere. At first I didn't get it, but when you told me he could travel in time, it all began to make sense. Lon Lon is one of the places he visited as a child. It is on his way to the desert, he must've figured he'd camp there."

Sure enough, Malon led Link to the barn where he set up camp. Sheik watched in shock as Epona made her way over and nuzzled Link happily. After a while, Link lay down in the hay and talked to the blue fairy that flitted around above him. They couldn't hear what he was saying, but he had a concerned look on his face. Eventually he fell asleep.

"I guess we wait it out until morning." Zelda touched the pool and the image rippled away.

"Great," Sheik said dryly. "If I teleport around all night, it's only a matter of time before Ganondorf pins down all the places I could appear and lays a trap."

Zelda squeezed his arm. "Good luck. I’ll be praying for you."

The meadow faded and Sheik was again on the mountain top. Stars gleamed brightly in the night sky. The mountain paths were empty save the occasionally rolling Goron. Sheik decided it was best to leave before Ganondorf came; he played the Serenade of Water and planned out his movement strategy for the night.

_ Water. Fire. Forest. Light. No, I should stay away from the Temple of Time in case Link uses it. Shadow. Fire. Shadow . . .  _


	94. Goddess of Sand

Sheik watched exhausted as the sun rose, bathing the graveyard in light. It had been a harrowing night. The dark shape had touched him twice, each time drained him. The second time he had landed in the crater, he fell and a sharp pain hit him in the chest, like his heart had stopped for a moment. It was clear that the Water Temple, Forest Temple, and even the Fire Temple were under surveillance. Sheik had spotted Captain Knuckles himself the last time he had tried the Forest.

In a matter of minutes the Triforce alerted Sheik that Ganondorf approach the graveyard. Sheik had no place left to go. He pulled out the harp and hesitated, he had never actually played the Requiem of Spirit before. He knew it was the Spirit Temple's song, but he had never tested it.

With no other option left, he played the melody and felt the familiar tingle as he turned into orange light and flew into the sky. Soaring over the broken bridge and the Gerudo Fortress, he entered the desert and landed on the hot sand. An enormous structure towered over him. The Stone Goddess, the same figure he had seen in Ruba's room years ago, cut into a mesa with a large entrance beneath her.

_ In the goddess of sand . . .  _

"He was right, you came." The voice was familiar and laced with danger. Sheik turned towards it.

"Captain Ruba." He nodded at her, watching her closely.

The captain walked towards him, hate in her eyes. She held her deadly weapon casually, but Sheik knew better than to believe she wasn't ready to slice him to pieces. "All those years, we worked side by side. All those years of service and you betrayed Him!" She spat in the sand with disgust.

"He's not my king. He never was." Sheik said, his voice automatically neutral and ungiving.

Ruba's face twisted and Sheik saw her arms tremble with anger. Sheik's face betrayed nothing. "Why now?” Ruba asked, genuine curiosity mingled in her rage. “You had countless chances to betray us and never did. Why would you turn coward now?"

Sheik felt sick. It would've been easier to fight her when they’d first met, but now Sheik had seen and heard Ruba's emotions. This was more than her following orders. She felt Sheik’s betrayal personally. They had been the only ones left, the last living servants of Ganondorf. They had worked side by side since day one. She couldn't understand.

"He's not a god , Ruba. He is a man who stole holy power. Though his spirit may be intertwined with and twisted by an ancient evil, he is still only a man.” Sheik tried to explain, but his voice was stoney, too trained over the years to avoid showing Ruba any emotion. “The Hero has returned to Hyrule and will defeat him. It has been foretold and prepared for. I have done my part to prepare for it ; hiding and working from the shadows as I've always done. I left because there was no longer any reason for me to stay."

Ruba laughed. "You think that boy can defeat the Great King Ganondorf? Yes, I've seen that Hero of yours. The king showed him to me. After I've killed you, he's next."

Sheik stared at Ruba and the crazed look in her eyes. There was no way out of this. "Link will defeat Ganondorf,” Sheik declared again firmly. “Ruba, I'm sorry."

Ruba's arm moved and Sheik sprung forward, throwing a needle at her. In an instant, the halberd was up, blocking the needle easily. Sheik moved in, trying to reduce her advantage. Her halberd's long reach meant that Sheik needed to get close quickly. His ranged attacks were no use anyway. 

He danced to the side as Ruba slid the blade down where he had stood. He tried to jab her arm to disrupt her grip, but she leaned back and let the end of her weapon move in front of her face and cover her arm. Sheik's hand hit the brass-covered shaft painfully.

Sheik guessed what came next and dropped as the brass end of the halberd whipped down to where his head had been. He kicked out at Ruba's legs, but she jumped into the air. Luckily, Sheik's legs were back under him before hers as the blade came down again, digging deep into the sand. Sheik stood quickly, but then flew back into the dune as Ruba's boot hit his face. He had expected her to land back on her feet, but with the halberd buried securely in the sand, Ruba had used it as a pole to launch a kick from, catching Sheik off guard.

Quickly rolling back to his feet, Sheik was relieved Ruba’s kick hadn’t broken his nose. Her boot had hit his cheekbone painfully, but there wasn't any blood. Unfortunately, he was too far away to reach her now. But he was not too far away for her to reach him. She landed gracefully and used her shoulder as leverage to pull the halberd out of the sand. She lifted the halberd and let it plummet towards Sheik. He dodged and she easily turned the blade before it hit the ground, arcing it in Sheik's direction. He wove around her.

The blade drew curves in the air as Ruba manipulated it in constant motion. There were moments where she had to let it travel in order to regain momentum when she switched directions, but those moments weren't long enough for Sheik to get close. On top of that, she moved easily in the sand, but Sheik could tell it was slowing him down. His lightweight and soft boot helped some, but the ruts and grooves that the two dug into the sand while dodging and turning were hard to manage.

_ I don't know if I can beat her.  _ The thought hit him like one of her blows.

Strategically speaking, Sheik’s strength was in close combat or stealth attacks. Ruba's advantage was her halberd’s length and the open desert where Sheik had no place to hide. She was in her home territory and he was not. Last time they had fought, Ruba had only been testing him and he had still only 'won' by letting himself be injured. He needed a plan.

Sheik glanced at the temple, the only thing around besides dunes of sand. Maybe if he could draw her closer he could use the structure to his advantage . . . 

"It's dangerous to look away from me , Sheik!"

Ruba had taken a step closer and let her halberd fall. Sheik dodged, but he didn't move far enough. The blade grazed his side; he felt it touch a rib and stumbled back. Hot blood dripped onto the sand. 

Holding his right side, blood oozed through Sheik’s fingers. He was no good out here. Thinking quickly, he sprinted for the temple. He could hear Ruba coming after him, gaining quickly.

Sheik reached the temple first and climbed the cracked pillar. He headed upward towards the goddess. Ruba hadn't had a bow on her, but it was possible she'd stashed one by the temple door while waiting for Sheik , so he glanced down.

There was no bow, but Ruba was climbing after him. She swung her halberd and the blade lodged into the crumbling stone. She pulled herself up, dislodged the blade, and then swung it again using it like a long arm. With her halberd and the plenty of handholds on the cracked stone, Ruba had no trouble with the climb. Luckily, she wasn't nearly as fast as Sheik, even while he was injured.

Reaching the roof of the temple entrance, Sheik looked down at Ruba. He tossed a needle down at her, but she let go of the wall with her left hand and swung to the other side of her halberd, dodging his attack. Then she grabbed the wall again and continued her climb with fierce determination. Sheik could see the sweat glistening on her face, and bloodrage in her golden eyes. Blood continued to ooze out of Sheik’s wound. 

He wasn’t sure he could knock her down and since he’d bought some time, Sheik used some of his wrapping and the small first aid kit in his tabard pocket, and wrapped up his wound. Ruba was nearing the top when he finishe,d so he crossed the roof and climbed higher, reaching the massive outstretched stone hand of the goddess. He leaned against her fingers, as he heard Ruba reach the top. Cautiously, he glanced around and saw her scanning the roof for him. She looked at the goddess's other hand and then turned to look at the hand Sheik was hiding on, deciding where to look first. He quickly ducked back behind the statue’s fingers.

Sheik heard her move away from his position, checking the goddess's left hand first. He looked around and formulated a plan. It would take perfect timing, but that Sheik could do.

He waited until Ruba began to make her way over to his hiding spot. The curved stone fingers almost made a cave. Sheik heard Ruba carefully position herself at the edge of the convex side of the hand. Sheik used the moment to make his way out on the concave side and to the opposite end from Ruba. There was a quick shuffle and then a loud clang and Sheik, leaning against the knuckles, felt the vibration through the stone. Ruba must have rounded the edge and swung her halberd into the empty space, hoping to catch Sheik. It was time.

He could picture in his mind Ruba moving onto the palm, looking around for her prey. He pulled out both of his kunai and tossed one high into the air, arcing slightly to make it over the curve of the fingers. Then he waited just a moment before dashing around the corner and throwing the other at Ruba. Her eyes glanced up as the first kunai reached her field of vision glittering in the desert sun. Her halberd rose to block it, convinced Sheik was leaping down atop her, and Sheik's second kunai buried itself in her exposed stomach. Her eyes turned to Sheik whose arm was still outstretched from the throw. She staggered , and the first kunai clattered harmlessly on the stone palm.

Ruba stared at Sheik for a long moment, lowering her halberd to face him. Then she lurched and coughed, blood spraying on the stone. She staggered forward and fell, red pooling beneath her. Sheik went to her. He knew it was over. He gently turned her, her red hair mingling with the life pouring out of her. Her eyes focused and unfocused. She was staring up at the statue.

"Na . . . booru?"

With a last spasm, she died. Sheik felt the tears roll hot down his cheeks. After a moment, he stood up and wiped them away. Ruba had made her choice to side with evil long ago, but Sheik had felt a connection with her. Her unbending loyalty mirrored his and he wished it could have been different. He pulled out his harp and played the Requiem for Ruba, praying for her spirit to rest.

When the song finished, Sheik turned away and climbed back down to the temple, leaving Ruba’s body cradled in the Sand Goddess’s hand. He leaned against the pillar in the shade. He let time slip by as he tried to scour blood off himself with the sand. Some of it wouldn't leave.


	95. Back in Time

As the day grew hotter, the heat rose in waves from the sand and Sheik moved into the temple for relief. Two large stone cobras, hoods and fangs extended, guarded a set of stairs. Sheik walked up the stairs and found two doorways. A massive stone blocked one entrance and the other had only a tiny opening. There was no way Link would fit through there.

_ Hmmm . . .  _ He pulled out the harp and played the Ballad.

It was nice and cool in the meadow and Zelda turned to face Sheik, seeing his tear stained face she moved towards him concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing,” Sheik muttered, brushing her concern aside and changing the subject. “How's Link?"

"He won a horse."

Sheik started. "You're kidding? Was it the one with the white mane?"

"Yes. He raced Ingo for it, but after Link won Ingo locked the ranch and wouldn't let them out." Zelda started to laugh. "But Link and the horse—"

"Epona." Sheik found himself correcting her.

"Oh, yes, Link and Epona just jumped over the gate! Then he rode straight for the desert and even though the bridge was broken, Epona just jumped over the gorge. She is quite an amazing horse."

"Yes , she is. So, Link is coming then?"

"Well , sort of. The Gerudo caught him and threw him in jail."

"What!?"

"Don't worry, come look at this." Zelda gestured him over to the pool and Sheik watched Link use that strange claw and chain tool to get out of his cell and sneak around the base. He freed Mutoh's trapped carpenters one by one. Then a familiar figure snuck up behind Link.

Aveil looked unchanged from when Sheik had visited the Fortress. She spoke to Link who sheathed his sword. Then she handed him a familiar card. Zelda turned to Sheik in surprise. "Isn't that . . . "

"A Gerudo Membership Card,” Sheik confirmed. “Just like the one she gave me."

"I remember that. You were away from the castle , so I watched. You were amazing by the way."

"Thanks. More importantly, now Link can get to the desert. Though we have another problem."

"What?" Zelda asked, turning away from the pool.

"There's no way into the temple. I'm inside the entryway and both doorways are blocked."

"Link's on his way, I'm coming back with you." Zelda stood with determination and Sheik nodded. The meadow faded, he was back in the Spirit Temple. Zelda was too.

_ “I see what you mean.”  _ Zelda spoke in his head.

_ “Only a child could fit through there.”  _ Sheik continued.

The realization struck them at the same time. "Of course!"

They knew what to do. Sheik left the temple and glanced around. The best place to wait for Link would probably be back up on the roof where he'd be able to see him coming. Once again, he made the climb up.

He sat in the shade of the goddess's left hand, trying not to think about Ruba's in her right. “ _ So, that's what upset you,”  _ Zelda murmured _. “She was an interesting woman.” _

_ “Yes _ _ , _ _ she was. It's over now.” _

They sat in silence, not needing to even think in words to communicate. Sheik felt tired. This was the last temple and the last song. A sense of relief covered him like a blanket. Everything was ending , but he no longer felt the desperate anxiousness to keep going. Zelda’s concern for him filled his mind as she worried over his wound. Sheik shrugged it off; more concerned with finishing his mission at last.

When Link appeared, Master Sword gleaming in the desert sun, Sheik was ready. He watched Link run into the temple, giving him time to see the problem for himself. When he emerged, Sheik jumped down and faced him.

"Past, present, future . . . the Master Sword is a ship with which you can sail upstream and downstream through Time's river. The port for that ship is the Temple of Time. To restore the Desert Colossus and enter the Spirit Temple, you must travel back through time's flow. Listen to this Requiem of Spirit. The melody will lead a child back to the desert."

For the third time, Sheik played the Requiem. Link followed along on the mystical ocarina. Movement from above caught Sheik’s eyes as they played. He glanced up and saw the blue eyes of Kaepora Gaepora staring down at him solemnly.

_ I know. _

As the notes faded Sheik felt a strange stirring and saw the Sage of Light fly off over the desert. Yes, Sheik knew this Requiem was for him.

Link lowered the ocarina and looked at Sheik. His eyes asked so many questions.  _ Soon, Link. Find Nabooru first, then you'll see her.  _ Sheik didn't have to ask; Zelda tapped into her power and made the wind rise, blowing the sand into a small cloud. Sheik stepped back into it gratefully and vanished.

Above the temple once more, they watched Link place the ocarina back to his lips and play the Prelude of Light. He knew what to do. Sheik and Zelda watched as Link returned just a few moments later and ran back into the temple with purpose.

_ Let’s go back to the Temple of Time.  _ They raised the harp.

_ “Do you remember when I first told you about the harp?”  _ Zelda asked.

_ “Yes. You told me to ask Impa about it. I've always felt a strange connection to it. I suppose it's because Impa's brother played it.” _

Sheik felt Zelda smile. “ _ I feel a connection to it too. It was the first thing I saw after being sealed away, a last message from the goddess inside me. When you first touched it, I remembered. Remembered a memory from lifetimes ago. _

_ “An island floating in the sky. I was standing on the edge above an unfathomable drop. I was excited for something. The harp was in my hands and the Ballad of the Goddess kept playing through my head, like I was memorizing it. It was a different me. There was some ceremony, and I was to play the role of Hylia. Link would be the Hero.” _

Sheik considered the harp. How many incarnations had it served? Zelda continued, “ _ I remembered the harp feeling so natural in my hands. I remember wondering that it felt like I had seen it before, even though it was only removed from safe keeping for ceremonies. Impa told you it was an ancient artifact, a remnant of the Goddess Hylia. That's why I feel so connected to it. Ganondorf's not the only one with remnants of an ancient spirit. Both Hylia's mortal blood and her spirit are in me. Our battle is one that has raged since the dawn of the world.” _

It made sense. The way he had mistaken Zelda for Hylia, the power she and Link held. It even explained the zealous protective nature of the Sheikah. If the royal family were descendants of the goddess, of course the Sheikah would serve them faithfully.

_ “So you remember past lives?”  _ He asked, curious.

_ “Glimpses. Being away from my mortal form, I think I was more strongly connected to Hylia's spirit.” _

Sheik thought about that. To be born again and again, always there to fight evil when it reared up. It was noble. He placed his fingers on the harp and they played the Prelude together.


	96. Good-bye Sheik

When they arrived at the Temple of Time, Zelda walked to the pedestal where the sacred stones were. She reached out and Sheik's hand brushed the red velvet. 

_ “I asked Link to find these seven years ago. A nine-year-old girl he didn't know, speaking of visions and plans and he just agreed. Not even my father believed me, but Link did. With a word from me, he braved the world he barely knew and found them. Then he was whisked away and asked to do even more.” _

Sheik felt the princess's familiar anxiety. “ _ Princess, if you remember Link from a previous life, doesn't that mean he has always been the Hero? You can't think that Link has done anything begrudgingly. I don't think that's in his nature.” _

_ “You're right. But still, I am ready to do my part to help fight. I’m done sending Link into peril alone.” _

She was ready. Sheik could feel the seal cracking. In the temple her power felt focused and she bridged the gap between the Sacred Realm and the mortal world. Her limbo fit neatly between the two.

The two watched the light dance through the stained glass windows of the temple. Memories and hopes whirled through Zelda's mind as she walked around, still moving with Sheik's quiet, graceful step.

Sheik knew what was coming and he didn't feel the need to stop it. Next to Zelda's shining spirit he felt in the way. He knew she couldn't return until he was gone. There was fear, but also peace.

Zelda reached out, touching the Sacred Realm, focusing on the sages’ spirits.

_ “I'm ready. Tell Link to come find me here,”  _ she commanded. Sheik shared her satisfaction and knew they would deliver the message.

Tired, Sheik rested in the corner of his mind as Zelda’s spun in overdrive in anticipation. She had accepted her own lost years, but she wasn't convinced Link had accepted  _ his _ . She was anxious to see him and for him to see her, but worried all the same. Her love for Link bubbled up and she shone even brighter. Sheik was happy for her. In a way he loved her, and felt she was part of him, even though he knew it was the other way around. She was the light he had prayed for, sworn to protect. He had fulfilled his oath and she would continue protecting the world he loved. He knew it was time.

Zelda's thoughts slowed as Sheik’s presence grew fainter and started to fade away. He couldn't completely hide his fear from her. But she also felt his surety. They both knew Sheik's time was over.

_ “Princess, promise me you won't forget.” _

She wanted to reach for him, to pull him back, but knew she couldn't. This moment had been set for years. The world needed the Seventh Sage, it needed the Triforce of Wisdom, and it needed its Princess. Her heart ached as she answered Sheik’s last request before he became silent forever.

_ “Never. Not in a thousand lifetimes.” _

Zelda stood; tears spilling from red eyes as her soul filled the now empty spaces. 


	97. The Princess’s Return

Even though it was silly, it felt natural to appear behind Link. She had wiped the tears from her eyes and did her best to wear the mask Sheik always wore when he spoke to the Hero. He didn't know she was here, he only knew Sheik, and Zelda would continue that role one last time.

Link spun around and she saw the hope and then disappointment in his eyes. He had hoped to see her. Her spirits lifted.

Zelda spoke, the role of Sheik coming naturally. "Link, the Hero of Time. You have overcome many hardships and awakened six sages. And now you have a final challenge, a battle with Ganondorf the Dark King of Evil. Before that . . . I have things I want to tell only to you. Please listen. Another unknown legend of the Triforce passed down by the shadow folk, the Sheikah.”

It was Zelda's tale , but Link saw only Sheik. She spoke calmly, "If you would seek the sacred triangle, listen well. The resting place of the Triforce, the Sacred Realm, is a mirror that reflects what is in the heart, the heart of the one who enters it. If an evil heart, the realm will become full of evil; if pure, the realm will become a paradise. The Triforce, the sacred triangle, it is a balance that weighs the three forces: Power, Wisdom, and Courage. If the heart of the one who holds the sacred triangle has all three forces in balance, that one will gain the True Force to govern all.”

With a heavy heart she explained, "But, if that one's heart is not in balance, the Triforce will separate into its three parts. Only one part will remain for the one who touched the Triforce: the part representing the force that one most believes in. If that one seeks the True Force, they must acquire the two lost parts. Those two parts will be held within others chosen by destiny, who will bear the Triforce mark on the backs of their hands."

Link took a few steps closer, processing the words. He glanced at his own left hand, the golden outline of the Triforce there. She nodded. "Seven years ago, Ganondorf, the King of Thieves, used the door you opened in the Temple of Time, and entered the Sacred Realm. But when he laid his hands on the Triforce, the legend came true. The Triforce separated into three parts. Only the Triforce of Power remained in Ganondorf's hand.”

Link opened his mouth to ask a question, but Zelda continued, her voice gaining emotion. "The strength of the Triforce of Power enabled him to become a mighty, evil king, but his dark ambitions were not satisfied. To gain complete mastery of the world, Ganondorf started looking for those chosen by destiny to hold the two other Triforce parts. The one who holds the Triforce of Courage is you, Link.” She paused and held up Sheik’s hand. “And the one who holds the Triforce of Wisdom is the Seventh Sage, who is destined to be the leader of them all."

The golden triangle started to appear above the white wrapping on Sheik’s golden skin. Link watched; shock on his face. The light from the Triforce grew brighter and Link had to shield his eyes. The seal shattered. The light wrapped around her and her own form returned. She breathed deep; she was free.

Link lowered his arm and his blue eyes widened. Zelda smiled. "It is I, the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda. I apologize for meeting you in disguise, but it was necessary to hide from the King of Evil. Please forgive me."

Link's surprise faded and he looked hurt. Hurt that she had hidden for so long, had stayed away when she knew he was looking for her. She stepped towards him. "On that day, seven years ago, Ganondorf attacked Hyrule Castle. I saw you as I was escaping from the castle with my attendant, Impa. I thought I should entrust the Ocarina to you. I thought that would be our best chance. As long as you had the Ocarina in your possession, I thought Ganondorf could never enter the Sacred Realm."

Regret and sorrow filled Zelda's voice. "But something unexpected happened. After you opened the Door of Time, the Master Sword sealed you away in the Sacred Realm."

Zelda clutched her heart. This was where the hurt lay, where everything felt wrong. Link, Sheik, and even herself. Three lives torn asunder and tangled in time. Was it worth it? "Your spirit remained in the Sacred Realm . . . and then the Triforce fell into Ganondorf's hands.”

She moved closer to Link. "He went on to invade the Sacred Realm. Ganondorf had become the Evil King, and the Sacred Realm became a world of evil. All of this is an unfortunate coincidence. I passed myself off as a Sheikah and hoped that you would return. I waited seven years . . . " So much pain and loneliness during those years. For her and Sheik. But it was over now; she was ready to change things.

Zelda looked up, the light glistening in her eyes. She clasped her hands together and smiled. "And now you are back! The dark age ruled by Ganondorf the Dark King will end. The six sages will open the sealed door and lure Ganondorf back into the Sacred Realm. I will then seal the door to the Sacred Realm from this world. Thus Ganondorf, King of Evil, will vanish from Hyrule.”

The Princess and the Hero, a shared look of determination in their eyes, could sense the final battle approaching. "Link, in order to do this, I need your courage again. Protect me while I do my part. And here is a weapon that can penetrate the Evil King's defenses . . . the power given to the chosen ones, the sacred Arrow of Light!"

It would work. It had to. It was only a matter of time before Ganondorf sensed the Triforce's power after her transformation. He would come and the summoned sages could trap him. But while they did, they would be defenseless. She had to give Link some of their power now so he could hold the king off. She tapped into her power and reached up, channeling it into a form she knew they were both familiar with; arrows, tipped in gold and radiating light appeared. The goddess's power surged within Zelda and when she spoke her voice resonated with the divine. "The Light of Justice will smite Evil!"

Link took the arrows reverently, but then both stumbled as the temple quaked. Zelda gasped.  _ No! Not again! _ Her voice shook, "That rumbling . . . it can't be!? So soon . . . "

Ganondorf had been chasing Sheik. He had been on his trail and knew where to look.

Zelda's confidence wavered, replaced with hollow fear as flashes of her failure seven years ago returned. Once more Ganondorf was ahead. Would she fail again now they were so close?


	98. The Battle Begins

Zelda's panic rose, fears and memories assaulted her. A strange force pressed in and she screamed. Link reached for her, but his hands pressed against a magic barrier. The mystic trap paralyzd Zelda’s limbs.  _ No! Hylia please, I won't be trapped again! _

Mentally, Zelda raged, lashing out with what power she could muster. It was no use, Ganondorf was stronger and he'd had seven years of practice. Zelda thought of all the times Sheik had felt the Dark King’s power. The countless times he had warned others not to underestimate it. How could she have been so stupid? She should have prepared for this the moment she had emerged. Instead, her anxiousness to explain things to Link had been her first concern. 

Sheik and Impa, there had always been someone to help and guide her. Now she was alone and she had failed. She teetered on the edge of despair. Suddenly , a booming voice rang around the temple. "Princess Zelda, you foolish traitor! I commend you for avoiding my pursuit for seven long years. But you let your guard down. I knew you would appear if I let this kid wander around!"

Pain shot through Zelda's body and her head was forced back as she felt the full wrath of Ganondorf. She half heard Link scream her name before her vision went red and his power ripped into her. He poured through her mind, searching for how she had stayed hidden. She could feel the Triforce of Power; it was beyond anything she had felt before. Sheik had been right, only Link could fight this.

"My only mistake was to slightly underestimate the power of this kid," Ganondorf continued.

Zelda felt herself rise into the air. Ganondorf’s search through her mind slowed as his attention shifted. "No . . . it was not the kid's power I misjudged; it was the power of the Triforce of Courage. But with the Triforce of Wisdom that Zelda has . . . with these two Triforces, I will become the true ruler of the world! If you want to rescue Zelda, come to my castle."

His laugh reverberated through the temple and Zelda blacked out.

She blinked slowly as she came to, trying to gather her surroundings. The room was dark, lit only by a few braziers attached to the walls. As soon as her head cleared , the attacks came again. This time she was ready. She used her Triforce and sealed off the memories of the sage's powers, their plans, and anything she knew of Link's abilities and weapons. Ganondorf’s attacks were like a battering ram. But they couldn't hit what they couldn't find.

Ganondorf tried to get his answers by tearing through her mind, but he couldn't. He may have the power, but he didn't know how the divine gifts worked. It had taken him seven years to master his own. Zelda wasn't going to make it easy for him to take hers. Eventually , he left her mind and attacked her body. Shocks of power, waves of darkness, and pressure of the force cage around her. Her body screamed in pain and his magical assault continued, but she stayed silent. After all this time, all this waiting and planning, she would not yield.

She didn't know how long it was before the torture stopped. But stop it did. She lay slumped in the crystal shaped cage he had trapped her in. Through the magical barrier she heard a sound. A deep and ominous sound. She could hardly believe her ears. It was an organ.

Slowly she opened her eyes and glanced down. Ganondorf ran his hands across the keys, weaving a melody which made her shiver. It was a dark melody, ringing of death and seeped in rage. Without glancing away from his instrument, Ganondorf spoke. "So, you are not as easy to crack as I thought, princess."

Zelda stared down at him defiantly, aware she could not be heard through the barrier.

"No matter,” Ganondorf continued. “The boy will come for you and I will break him. His death will be slow and painful. But don't worry, my dear, I will make sure you have a front row seat to the show."

Ganondorf ended his melody with a crescendo and laughed. He straightened and looked up at Zelda. "Of course, if you were to give me your Triforce , I could end him quickly . . . No? Well then, I think I'll remove his limbs first. Maybe it's better this way; he has been a thorn in my side after all."

The grin faltered on Ganondorf's face for a moment. "He's not the only one though. I'll admit I never would have guessed that Sheikah rat was you ,  princess. To think you had been right in this castle for years." Red flashed in the Dark King's eyes. "Well, I had quite a few things lined up for Sheik. I suppose they wouldn't go to waste on you."

He gave a mock sigh. "Ah, but not yet. All things in due time. Until I take care of that pesky boy and that sword of his, I shouldn't get too carried away. I had hoped to try two Triforces against one, but it won't be necessary."

Ganondorf returned his attention to the organ and began the melody once more as they both waited for the Hero to arrive.


	99. Ganondorf Defeated

When Link walked into the room, Zelda stood up and leaned against the force cage. Her right hand began to glow, as did Ganondorf's. 

Link raised his sword and Zelda saw the Triforce of Courage on his left hand. Ganondorf lowered his fingers from the organ keys. "The Triforce parts are resonating . . . They are combining into one again. The two Triforce parts that I could not capture on that day seven years ago, I didn't expect they'd be hidden within you two."

Ganondorf let out a wicked laugh, Zelda could see excitement and bloodthirst in his red eyes. "And now, finally,  _ all  _ the Triforce parts have gathered here!"

The Dark King turned, blood-red cloak swirling around him as he faced Link. "These toys are too much for you two. I command you to return them to me."

Old anger bubbled up within Zelda, Ganondorf  _ still  _ saw them as children. He had no idea what they had been through, how these seven years had changed them. Her rage ran cold. If he wanted to underestimate them, so be it. It would only make his defeat easier.

Ganondorf held up his hand in front of his malicious grin, the Triforce reappeared and the room darkened. With a fiendish growl, Ganondorf used his power. Swirls of purple energy filled the room and the walls faded. The fairy that followed Link ducked into his hat as he stood firmly against the energy wave. Then with another laugh , Ganondorf rose into the air, his hand on his side as if it was all too easy.

The room transformed into an empty chamber, lit by orange glass windows. Link looked around for a moment, taking in the area. His eyes didn't even pause where Zelda was and looking down, she realized she was invisible.

With a roar, Ganondorf dropped from the air and hit the stone floor with his fist. Parts of the marble tiles dropped away leaving only an edge by the walls and a platform in the middle. Link leapt forward, barely grabbing the platform's edge. He scrambled up it and held his sword and shield at the ready. 

The Triforce of Power glowing, Ganondorf released a ball of energy at Link, who tried to block it with his shield. It didn't work and Link's body spasmed as the energy ripped through it. Gasping he rolled to the side, avoiding the next blast. Zelda could see his eyes calculating his next move.

When the next attack came, Link was ready. He swung the Master Sword at it and it rebounded off the sacred blade, catching Ganondorf off-guard. Seeing an opening, Link whipped out his bow and strung one of the arrows Zelda had given him. It glowed powerfully and when it hit Ganondorf he grunted in pain. 

The light from the arrow continued to swirl around, holding Ganondorf and lowering him to the central platform. Zelda pounded the wall victoriously. Even trapped, the Arrows of Light were linked to her power and she could add to their strength. Link moved forward and leapt at the Dark King, cutting at Ganondorf with his sword. Ganondorf hissed as the Master sword penetrated his armor but before Link could land a finishing blow, the light holding Ganondorf down faded and he rose back into the air and out of reach. 

With a triumphant laugh, he raised both hands in the air. Energy flowed from the walls and trailed into his fingertips forming a massive pool. It crackled menacingly, and when he released the ebbing energy, it broke into half a dozen bolts which snaked towards Link. Seeing them, Link turned and jumped back to the outer edge of the broken floor and ran around Ganondorf trying to lose the missiles which veered at him as if they were alive. A few hit each other and fizzled out, but one connected. Link cringed as the energy shook him, but he kept moving. 

Ganondorf watched him and dived at the floor once more, pounding it to cut off Link’s path, the floor in front of him crumbling away. Link skidded to a stop just before teetering over the edge. He backed up quickly and Ganondorf's next blast hit him full force. He flew to the side, crunching against the wall. 

The Master Sword clattered against stone and nearly fell from Link’s hand as he slid down to the floor. Blood trickled down his temple and he shook his head, trying to clear it as he watched Ganondorf form another blast.

Wobbling, Link stood up and faced the blast as it whistled towards him. At the last moment he deflected it. This time, Ganondorf merely flicked his cloak at the missile and it returned to its original target. Link was steadier now and he blocked again. Back and forth the energy sizzled, increasing in speed until Zelda had a hard time following it.

Zelda could see rage and anger in Link's eyes as the volley continued. Finally, Link stepped forward during his strike, changing the tempo and the blast hit Ganondorf before he was ready. Again, Link was quick with his bow and the light arrow did its job once more.Link jumped back to the platform and sliced at the captured king with the Master Sword. 

The sword slashed through Ganondorf's battered armor, drawing a red line across his front. Link lunged and the Master Sword slid through the crack and into Ganondorf's chest. Link ripped it out.

Ganondorf's hand whipped forward and Link leapt back. The king breathed heavily and held his hand to his throat. "The Great Evil King Ganondorf . . . beaten by this kid?!"

His voice rasped and he coughed, blood spattering the floor at Link's feet. Ganondorf let out a wet gurgle, and his hand reached back out at his enemy, naming him for the first time. "Link!"

Ganondorf’s eyes burned with hatred and a growl formed in his throat. With a rage-filled scream, he stood, arms raised in the air. Darkness formed around him and poured from his body. The room shook. The walls shattered and shards of glass flew inward, littering the floor before the entire chamber faded away to the roof of the tower. Ganondorf stood, the energy had burned holes into his cloak and it flew ragged around him. He stood unnaturally still for a moment and then fell forward. His body hit the floor with a thump, blood trickling from his mouth. 

Link stared down at him, blue eyes brightly burning.

The force around Zelda lessened and she tried her power against the cage. It moved and lowered itself down towards Link who looked up and watched her descend. Zelda focused and the cage faded. She glanced behind her at Ganondorf's corpse. "Ganondorf . . . you pitiful man. Without a strong, righteous mind and heart, he could not control the power of the gods and--"

The rumbling began again tenfold, cutting off her words. She gasped and looked around. The tower was crumbling.  _ Of course! The changes he made over the years . . . the castle is linked to Ganondorf's power! _

"Link! This tower will collapse soon! With his last breath, Ganondorf is trying to crush us in the ruins of the tower. We need to hurry and escape, follow me!"

Link looked around frantically and Zelda rushed forward, grabbing his hand. She pulled him through the collapsing tower. It wasn't her castle anymore, but Sheik had lived here and she knew the way. They ran down the edge of the tower and reached a sealed door. Zelda thrust her hands forward and commanded the door to open. It obeyed, bending under her power.

Together they ran, hand in hand. Link blocked falling chunks of wall and ceiling as Zelda navigated through the dark maze that had once been her home. She used her magic to open all the doorways Ganondorf had sealed before his death, hoping to trap  t hem in his own tomb. 

They entered a large room and as Zelda moved forward to the next door fire rose from the floor surrounding her and stalfos poured through the door. Link faced them and fought.

"Are you alright, princess?" Link shouted, as he battled ,  furiously hacking at the skeletal foes.

"I'm fine." Zelda focused and lowered the flames. A stalfos ran towards her ,  but Link decapitated it. "Thanks, Link. Now, let's hurry!" A huge chunk of stone fell from the ceiling and clattered behind Link. They didn't have much time. 

They continued the perilous journey down the castle. She opened another sealed door and could see daylight filtering through the gate up ahead. "We're almost there!"

When they reached the gate. Zelda pushed out at it with magic. It was strong. With burning rock falling around them, Zelda lashed out, letting out a huge blast of magic, forcing the gate up. She grabbed Link's hand once more and they ran out the gate together, gasping and coughing in the dust of the crumbling castle. They both turned and looked up. 

Explosions continued to blast from inside the castle.The tower and walkways they had traversed crashed down the side of the crumbling structure. Parapaces tipped and fell into the red void beneath the hovering castle. Soon the whole center section collapsed inward, creating a chain reaction. 

Within minutes the castle was nothing but dark rubble. They coughed and held their arms up to cover their faces as a last wave of dust blew past before giving way to silence. A moment later the wind picked up and whistled through the ruins of Ganondorf's power. Zelda spoke first, "It's over . . . it's finally over. "

The two smiled at each other. The fairy flitted out from Link's hat and they glanced up at it. “It's ok, Navi, it all worked out." Link said in a consoling tone.

"What?" Zelda asked, unable to hear the fairy herself.

Link glanced back at Zelda. "Oh, uh, she was apologizing for not being able to help in the battle. Ganondorf's energy was too much for her."

Zelda's smile faltered. She too wished she could have helped more. But the fight was over, that was what mattered . . . 

There was a boom from behind them and the two whirled around. Link stepped in front of Zelda, scanning the ruins. "Stay here, I'll check it out."

"Be careful."

Link cautiously walked over the rubble, drawing his sword and holding it ready. Zelda felt a familiar energy. "Link, it's a trap!"

Fire rose from the ground, creating a giant ring around Link, separating him from Zelda. Link turned to look at her, but quickly turned back as black stone exploded into the air and a dark form rose from the ruins. 


	100. The End

The Dark King's body rose higher and they could hear his labored breathing. Dim light silhouetted the battered form. His mouth was agape and his eyes glowed pupiless orange. Roaring, his body convulsed, energy bursting out and obscuring him. Link backed up in horror and Zelda screamed. Ganondorf’s form changed and morphed into a massive beast. Curling horns and claws sprouted from the dark mass and the beast continued to grow.

With a crash, its cloven hooves hit the floor and it stood straightening. Two huge swords appeared in its hands as it rose to a full thirty foot height. Its eyes glowed maliciously above a boar-like snout.

"The Great Beast, Ganon . . . " Zelda whispered. She felt like she'd seen this before. A great darkness—a beast. Was it a memory or a vision? She wasn't sure.

Ganon swung the huge wicked blades, lashing out at Link. He raised the Master Sword to parry, but the beast's swords knocked it out of Link's hand. It spun through the air and plunged into the stone near Zelda--outside the ring of flames and Link's reach.

Zelda moved to get the sword, but drew back.  _ Something _ emanated from the weapon. She stared at it, watching the flames dance on its blade. The sword was angry and Zelda could feel it. It was more than a blade, it was the Hero's weapon. The legendary Master Sword. She could not touch it, only Link could.

She turned back to the fight. Link was taking cover behind a chunk of stone while the beast slashed at it with its blades. He peeked around and eyed the creature. He nodded to his fairy and bolted out from behind the debris. Quickly , he ran around Ganon, holding his shield up. 

The primeval monster turned and one of his swords swung down. Link ' s shield blocked the blow , but the force was too great and Link went flying. He landed with a thud and Zelda shouted a warning. He rolled just in time to avoid the next blade, which cut deep into the stone where he had been.

Link glanced at Zelda and pulled out his bow. He nocked a light arrow and shot it at the Great Beast. The light exploded and the beast screamed, frozen in place. Link eyed its armored form and ran behind it peppering its unarmored tail. The creature convulsed and then spun around. 

The monstrous blade's tip caught Link on the shoulder as he leapt back and red seeped through his green tunic. Nevertheless, Link didn't waver; again he nocked an arrow and hit Ganon. He kept firing, occasionally backing up out of the beast’s range. Zelda felt her magic drain with each arrow. 

Link couldn't avoid the creature's massive reach every time and soon he was marked with wounds, blood flowing from each. Even though he didn't slow down his attacks, Zelda could tell he was tiring. Without the power of the Triforce, Zelda doubted he'd still be alive.

_ Come on. Come on. _

With a yell, Link shot an arrow into the back of the beast's head and then shot three arrows deep into its flesh. It finally fell and the flames began to die down.

It wasn't over. The Triforce of Power still protected Ganondorf and the darkness inside him. The beast shed no blood, it was merely stunned. He would return again if they waited, revived into darker and more twisted forms. She knew what to do. "Link! The flames are fading, retrieve the Master Sword!" The Master Sword. Legend said it had the power to banish darkness. If she could channel her and the sage's power through it . . . 

Link ran to Zelda and grabbed the blade. Again , Zelda thought she felt a consciousness there. A satisfaction in returning to its master's hand. "Link, you have to use the Master Sword. It has the power to banish darkness."

The fire still burning in Link's eyes, he turned back to the beast. He walked over and Zelda felt the Triforce of Power surge once more. The flames rose again. Quickly, Link slashed at Ganon with the Master Sword and it screamed but stood back up. Its eyes filled with ancient rage.

The battle continued. Link used the arrows to stun the beast and then used the Master Sword to truly wound it. Hot blood dripped from the creature’s weak points as Link found and exploited them. It fell again, the ground trembling with the impact.

Zelda summoned every last particle of energy she had and blasted it at Ganon, holding the Great Beast down with her will. She shouted out to Link. "I'm using my power to hold the Evil King! Use your sword and deliver the final blow!"

The princess gasped as the last of her power faded; but she knew it had worked.

The Master Sword seemed to glimmer with anticipation and Link moved forward slashing at the Beast's face, blood splattered with each strike. Finally with a shout, Link plunged the blade into Ganon's skull. The Great Beast froze, mouth agape. Link ripped the sword free and the monster stood, waving its blades in the air in mad pain.

Though she was out of strength, Zelda knew what she had to do. "Six sages! Now!"

She raised both arms towards the heavens and touched the Sacred Realm, a sphere of light appearing between her fingers. The connection opened, Zelda fell to her knees, glancing up anxiously.

The voices of the sages echoed through the air and Zelda smiled triumphantly.

**Ancient Creators of Hyrule! Open the sealed door and send the evil incarnation of Darkness into the void of the Evil Realm!**

A deep hum filled the air, quickly followed by a high whine. A white light enveloped Ganon's body, drawing him out of the mortal world. A voice of pure hatred filled the air. "YOU . . . CURSE YOU . . . ZELDA! CURSE YOU . . . SAGES! CURSE YOU, LINK! Someday . . . once the seal is broken . . . that is when I will exterminate your descendants! You hear me! As long as the Triforce of Power is in my hand, I'll hunt you down!"

As the light faded, so did the voice. Zelda and Link, the two chosen wielders of the Triforce stood facing each other. The castle was gone, they were standing in an eternal blue sky.

The Princess turned to her Hero. "Thank you, Link. Ganondorf has been sealed inside the Evil Realm. We did it. Now peace will once again reign in this world . . . for a time."

There was so much she wanted to say. Link smiled at her and she stared into his deep blue eyes. She remembered when they had first met as children; how happy she had been that he had believed her and fought for her. 

But it hadn't been the first time they'd met. They knew each other from lifetimes ago. The memories were there in the back of her mind and with them a love for him that went beyond the small time they had spent together in this life. 

In truth, she didn't really know this Link. Not the way she should have. The lost seven years . . . they should have been together, not sealed away. They should have grown to know each other as she and Sheik had, supporting each other and helping each other.

Victory had come, but at what cost? Link's eyes were the same as seven years ago. The eyes of a child, forced to grow up too fast. All he and Zelda had were their roles as Hero and Princess. Was that enough?

Zelda sighed. Now that the battle was over, she wanted to pretend like everything would be perfect. That they would live a happy life together. But she knew it wouldn't happen. She felt a hollowness inside; her body had barely been returned to her. She had been so elated to be free, but in truth it was strange. To be a child one day and an adult the next. She remembered the haunted look Sheik had seen on Link's face when he had returned to the Lost Woods. Link felt this hollowness too, she knew it. 

Could they really continue as if they weren't lost in this world they had been removed from? The battle against Ganondorf had kept them going, given them a purpose that made it worth continuing. With that gone, what life did they have?

Link saw the conflict on her face and looked concerned. “Princess?” She wasn't sure he would understand why she hesitated to return to the current world. All Link had known was war and bloodshed. Zelda had lived in Sheik's mind, she knew what that did to a person. If only she could give him a chance to be Link, not just the Chosen Hero. To give him a life outside of just a never ending fight.

She could feel the Triforce within, her power rejuvenated. Maybe . . . maybe there was something she could do. 

She didn't know how to explain to Link how he had been gravely abused. Used by her and the sages, carefully crafted into the weapon they needed. She remembered Link from past lives. He had been a person with hopes, dreams, family, hobbies, and freedom. Not this . . . a boy trapped in eternal childhood before being kicked into a war and robbed of seven years. Fighting constantly since he was only nine years old.

How could she make Link understand? If he could understand what she did--her guilt--she tried to explain. "All the tragedy that has befallen Hyrule was my doing. I was so young . . . I could not comprehend the consequences of trying to control the Sacred Realm. In a way, I shared in Ganondorf's folly. My schemes dragged you into this role and now I intend to make it up to you."

Zelda looked Link in the eyes trying to ignore the pleading there. "Princess . . . you have nothing to make up."

Link pressed again as Zelda looked away. "I  _ chose  _ to open those doors. Zelda . . . this isn't your fault."

She felt a pang in her heart. _This isn't your fault._ **‘** ** _This’_** That word was all she needed to make up her mind. He _did_ know something was wrong. Link felt it too. She took a deep breath, her decision made. "You must lay the Master Sword to rest and close the Door of Time. However, doing this will close the road between times."

Zelda reached her hand out and continued. "Link, give the Ocarina to me. As a sage, I can return you to your original time with it."

It was unprecedented, but she knew she could do it. A small part of her warned that this would bring unknown consequences, but her mind was set. Obediently, Link placed the blue instrument in Zelda's gloved hand. She laid her other hand on his. Cheeks wet, she explained, "When peace returns to Hyrule, it will be time for us to say goodbye."

Link pulled away, his own eyes moist. But Zelda saw it, a small glimmer of hope. A chance to escape the dark world he had been helplessly thrown into. A chance to return to the brief happy days he had had before he became the Hero. Zelda wondered if he had any sense of his own past lives. She clutched the ocarina close and smiled. "Now go home, Link! Regain your lost time. Home, where you are supposed to be . . . grow up the way you are supposed to."

She raised the Ocarina of Time to her lips and played the first song the two ever learned. The notes brought forth a blue light that enveloped Link. "Thank you, Link . . . goodbye."

He was gone. She felt something split. Something had changed, time stretched around her before splintering. Her mind breaking into two. What had she done? A figure appeared. It was Zelda. It was her. The version of her that would stay in the abandoned timeline. The timeline with no Hero. The Hero-less princess and the realm around her faded, left to their own devices. Zelda drifted in time and space.

Time flowed back and she awoke in her garden. Hearing steps behind her she turned and saw Link. He was a child again . . . so was she. She smiled at him and he smiled back. Then he glanced through the window behind her and his gaze hardened. "I remember. I—I traveled through time, we can stop him now. I know it."

"Let's go tell my father." Her heart soared. She had done it. Yet for some reason she could feel the Triforce's power. It had come with them. What did that mean for Ganondorf? 

She didn't know, but it had taken him seven years to master the Triforce. If they acted quickly, he would never have the chance to create that dark Hyrule. She would remember it though. The Triforce of Wisdom would not let her forget those years. She remembered her journey . . . and Sheik's. She had vowed never to forget.

With the warning of his daughter and the Hero of Time, proven by the mark of the Triforce, the King of Hyrule sentenced Ganondorf to death. Ganondorf’s reign was circumvented, Link, unsure what to do with the battle averted, left on a journey of self-discovery. 

When he left, Zelda knew they would not be together in this lifetime. Heartbroken, but at last free of the guilt of using her friend, Zelda ruled by her father’s side until his natural death. She ruled with wisdom far beyond her years. That Zelda never saw Link again, but trusted they would find each other in another lifetime.


	101. Epilogue

It is a new age. A dark age. Lingering memories of a land of peace and happiness tickle the princess's mind as she stares out at her dark kingdom.  _ Something is missing. No,  _ someone _. _

Her heart burns to face the threat that enveloped the land, but she has already failed. She had surrendered and given her kingdom to the King of Shadows. Perhaps it is living in shadow and shame that leads her to don a Sheikah cloak. The tearful eye seems so familiar, like the symbol belongs on her, yet she can't imagine why. The Sheikah have been extinct for a long time. Sometimes she dreams of a silver haired woman with an impassive face and a golden haired boy with fiery red eyes.

She read the legends of the Sheikah over and over. She feels a stinging sorrow in their story, a story she carries inexplicably with her. That sorrow matches her current heart. She can feel events moving around her, somehow she knows she is waiting. Someone will come. A Hero to help her reclaim her land. Perhaps Midna's quest for a Hero will bring the one Zelda anticipates . . . only time will tell.

For now Zelda ponders her position. As darkness infuses itself into her kingdom, she feels stirrings of a shadowy past in her mind. Has the darkness touched her heart as well? How can she fight despite this pain? The princess raises the dark hood, obscuring her face from any light. Perhaps this darkness and pain she feels, the shadows that led her to the Sheikah legends, perhaps it was always part of her. Maybe it will help her survive . . . help her be the Twilight Princess.

  
  



End file.
